A Spell Went Wrong
by W.Kathy
Summary: An adventure of love between Yue, Yukito and Sakura & many third parties, which all started when a spell to separate YY into two separate bodies get messed up! DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1 & 2

A/N: Heeeeeeelloooooooooooooo people! It's another fanfic of my favourite characters- Yue, Yukito and Sakura! Basically the story is about Sakura's magic growing stronger and she's now able to separate Yue and Yukito into two individuals (two bodies of course!) But the process went wrong and now there's a mix-up!! What mix-up? READ ON! And REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!  
  
Note: To prevent confusion, the real identity of the character will be in brackets.  
  
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura and its characters do not belong to me...they belong to CLAMP. (I'm starting to feel sick and tired of typing this disclaimer cuz it's sooooooooooo obvious that CCS DON'T BELONG TO ME! Arghhhhhhhhhhh)  
  
Title: A Spell Went Wrong  
  
Chapter One: The Spell that Went Wrong  
  
Inside Sakura's bedroom, the atmosphere was solemn. Sakura stood at the edge of the room, while Yue stood in the middle of it. Kero-chan was sitting on Sakura's desk, with a rarely seen serious expression on his stuffed-toy face. Sakura took a deep calming breath. "Yue, are you ready?" Yue nodded, his face expressionless as usual. Sakura began to chant and focused her star magic on Yue. A magic circle appeared on the floor beneath Yue and he closed his eyes, levitating a few inches in the air. His white wings closed around his body and a white light appeared. The light grew larger and brighter as it slowly filled the whole room. With a final shout from Sakura, "DIVIDE!" The light burst and scattered as it disappear into the air. Yue's wings folded back and now there stood two persons. They collapsed onto the floor. "Yue! Yukito-san! Are you all alright?" Sakura rushed forward with much concern. The two slowly sat up and looked at Sakura. "I'm alright, Sakura-chan, thank you so much" said one of them while the other just nodded and murmured, "Hai, Mistress." Sakura's emerald- green eyes widened with shock and she fainted.  
  
Sakura woke up when an insistent but warm and husky voice called her name. "Sakura-chan, please, wake up..." She opened her eyes to see Yue's face hovering above hers. She stared into his eyes, and noticed that while his was usually more silver than blue, it's now a light sea-blue, with flecks of silver in them. They were warm with concern. She turned her head and saw Yukito-san standing behind Yue, his arms folded and with a cool expression on his normally gentle face, but not wearing any glasses. "Hooooooeeeeeeeeeeee!!" Then she realized what's wrong. Yue is calling her 'Sakura-chan', which is just not possible because he NEVER calls her that no matter how many times she insists. While Yukito-san has answered her 'Mistress', which is also IMPOSSIBLE. The only explanation is that yes, she has been successful in separating Yue and Yukito-san's minds into separate bodies, but they are in the WRONG ones. Yue's mind is stuck in Yukito-san's body and Yukito-san's in Yue's. She whispered, "Oh my God..." and closed her eyes, hoping to block out the reality for a little while more and wishing desperately that she's dreaming. She thought back to a week ago, when she had that conversation with Eriol.  
  
==Start of Flashback=  
  
"Eriol-kun! I'm so glad to hear from you! How have you been?" Sakura asked excitedly as she held the phone closer to her ear. She could hear Eriol's smile in his voice when he replied. "Sakura-chan, I'm fine, and how are you?"  
  
"Oh Eriol-kun, I'm fine too, thanks for asking. But why are you calling now after such a long time? I missed you, you know?" Sakura smile wistfully as she remembered that the last time she had spoke to Eriol was two years ago, after she had turned all the Clow cards into Sakura cards, and Eriol had explained why he did so many things to her. And shortly after that, Eriol had left to return to England. Though they do correspond with letters once a while, it's very different from hearing his voice or seeing him. Eriol has been a good friend to Sakura, and she really did miss him a lot.  
  
"Sakura-chan, I miss you too. The reason I called is regarding your last letter, which I felt a reply through a phonecall would be better."  
  
"My last letter? You mean..."  
  
"Yes, it's about dividing Yue's mind and Yukito's mind into two separate bodies. Since Touya has decided to complete his university studies overseas, naturally Yukito wants to join him. But Yue insists on staying by your side to protect you in the case of anything happening to you. Although Touya agreed with Yue, you didn't want to take Yukito's time away from Touya for so long. It's understandable, as Touya will be overseas studying for two years. I have seen a great growth in your magic since I last saw you, and I am confident that you will be able to perform the dividing with no problem. Now, let's discuss the details of the spell needed...."  
  
Sakura was happy that Eriol seems to have confidence in her, but she's still worried that she would mess something up. She had asked Eriol to come to Japan for the spell, just to guide her along or to support her if anything goes wrong. But Eriol had rejected her request kindly but firmly, saying that now she SHOULD have more confidence in herself. Afterall, she's the Mistress of the Sakura Cards now. And so after going over the spell and details over and over again, Sakura has finally chosen a day where her Onnichan and Otousan won't be at home to perform the spell. In fact, she will be alone at home (not including Kero-chan, of course) for three days, as Onnichan has went for a short weekend trip at the beach to work, and Otousan is also overseas for work. And so the timing was perfect. Now, it's only that the spell that wasn't so perfect. Oh, what is she going to do?  
  
==End of Flashback==  
  
She was drawn back to the reality by Yue, or rather, Yukito-san that's in Yue's form now. "Sakura-chan, are you alright? You look rather pale. Is there anything I can get you?"  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Yukito-san, Yue-san! I messed up the spell!" With a sob, she turned her head into the pillow and cried. A hand went around her shoulders and patted her kindly. "Oh, Sakura-chan, please don't cry, it's going to be alright. And we aren't hurt, so please don't worry about it, ne?" Yukito-san spoke through Yue's voice, and sounded so concerned and caring that she suppressed her sobs as quickly as she can. Looking up into Yue's (Yukito) eyes, she tried to smile reassuringly to ease Yukito-san's worries. But when she saw Yue usual cool facial features drawn in a heart- warming smile that's so out of place and weird, she couldn't help but giggle.  
  
"Sakura!!!!!!!!!!!! Now's not the time to giggle! I'm glad that you are alright of course, but shouldn't you think of a way to fix this problem, huh?" Kero-chan flew angrily towards Sakura and shouted in that Osaka- accent of his. "Oh Kero-chan, gomen, but I just couldn't help it...." Sakura broke into another fit of giggles, she sees the innocent and clueless look on Yue's(Yukito) face. She sneaked a look at Yukito's(Yue) face and she laughed even louder, as Yukito's usual gentle face was now in a deep and cool frown, behaving all dignified yet showing his annoyance at the situation. "Mistress, please try to...restrain yourself a little and.....fix this problem." Yukito's(Yue) voice sounded strained, as if he's trying hard to control his irritation from showing. And that word, 'Mistress' coming out of Yukito-san's mouth was really priceless, thought Sakura, as she tried desperately to control her laughter.  
  
When she finally managed to calm down, she sat up in bed, deep in thoughts. "What spell will fix this mix-up?" Apparently, Kero-chan and Yue was thinking of the same things themselves, so the room was silent. Suddenly, a sound broke through the silence. "Grooooooooooowl"  
  
"Huh?" The three looked up to see Yue's(Yukito) face in a sheepish smile as he said, "I guess I'm hungry.." Kero-chan and Sakura burst out laughing. "I never thought I would live to see the day to hear those words coming out of Yue's mouth....haaahaaahaaaa" Kero-chan was now rolling on the floor, hugging his little orange stomach and tears in his eyes as he was laughing so much. Yukito's(Yue) face frowned again, before he resumed a cool and bored expression. He glared silently but warningly at Kero-chan, as if to say, "Keroberos, if you don't stop laughing now, I really don't know what I will resort to...." Seeing such an expression on Yukito's(Yue) face caused Kero-chan to laugh even louder. "Oh, Yukito-san, let me get you something to eat first, ne?" Sakura smiled and went downstairs to fix some food.  
  
Yue(Yukito) folded his wings in and followed Sakura downstairs, to see if he could help with preparing the food. Kero-chan followed in hope that he could have some food and Yukito(Yue) just stood in the middle of Sakura's bedroom, looking out of the window in silence. His amber eyes were narrowed as he wondered what went wrong and how it could be fixed. The sound of something crashing caught his attention and he ran downstairs as fast as his feet, or rather, Yukito's feet, could carry him.  
  
"Sakura-chan!!!" Kero-chan and Yue(Yukito) was shouting. Yukito's(Yue) golden-brown eyes widened as he saw his mistress lying on the kitchen floor, unconscious. "Mistress!" He went to Sakura and shook her lightly. When there was no response, he turned to the others and asked, "What happened?"  
  
Yue(Yukito) shook his head slowly as his mane of silver hair swayed from side to side, and Kero-chan replied. "I DON'T KNOW!!! Sakura was making dinner when she just froze and fainted. I didn't sense any strange aura so it can't be someone out to get Sakura. But also I can hardly sense Sakura's aura as it's so weak!"  
  
Yes, Sakura's aura is so weak, one can barely sense it. Yukito(Yue) leaned down near to Sakura's face and his face turned grave. "Sakura-sama's breathing too lightly. We have to help her into bed first." He lifted Sakura with ease and settled her in bed. "Now what do we do? What can we do to help Sakura-chan?" Yue's(Yukito) voice wavered a little as his silver- blue eyes clouded with worry. The Sakura cards flew from the book and hovered above Sakura in a circle, concerned and wanting to encourage her. Sakura's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"What? How? I..." Sakura shook her head slightly as if to clear it. She tried to sit up but was so weak that slump right back down again. "Sakura!!!!!!!!! You are awake!! What happened to you? Are you feeling alright? Do you want some water?" Kero-chan blurted out. "I don't know what happened...suddenly I feel so weak and everything turned black. I still feel drained, but I will be alright soon! Don't worry ok?" She smiled weakly, trying to convince them that she's ok and not wanting them to worry about her. But her smile faded as she involuntary fell into a deep sleep. Soon she was snoring softly.  
  
The three other persons in the room looked at one another, united in their thoughts. "What happened to Sakura?" Suddenly Kero-chan and Yue sensed another presence in the room, and whipped around, preparing to fight. "Easy, I just want to see how Sakura-chan is." Eriol smiled soothingly at them.  
  
He walked to Sakura's bed and sat down beside her, holding his hand out above her body as he closed his eyes in concentration. After a while, Eriol opened his eyes and stood up, turning to Kero-chan, Yue and Yukito as he spoke softly. "This is all my fault."  
  
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!" The three of them were shocked.  
  
"Yes, I should have been here when Sakura performed the spell. And then I could have warned her what I had forgotten to tell her on the phone, that the spell cannot be done on a cloudy night when the moon is covered. Yue is affected by the phases of the moon, and somehow the spell went wrong as it's affected by the lack of moon. And now, not only did the spell went wrong and put both of you in wrong bodies, Sakura's magic is also almost all drained. Now, even I can't do anything to help her. Because our magic is under different elements, I cannot transfer my magic to help her recover. Sakura has to pull through this on her will power, alone." Eriol's eyes were downcast as he looked sadly at the floor.  
  
"Can't we do anything? We are her guardians right?" Kero-chan and Yue asked. Eriol gave the question some thought. "Maybe.....you guys CAN HELP afterall. But first, let me switch your minds back to the proper bodies you two were meant to be in." Eriol took his staff out and used the CHANGE card on Yue and Yukito. As simple as that, this problem was solved. Yue levitated from the ground and shook his wings, while Yukito pushed his glasses back on his face. "Thank you, Eriol-kun." Yukito said, while Yue just nodded at Eriol. "You are welcome, Yukito-san, and you too, Yue."  
  
A groan came from the bed... "Yukito-san..." Sakura was talking in her sleep. "I feel so......weak...ah...." Yukito hurried over to her side and held her hand in his. "I'm here, Sakura-chan, I'm here." He murmured softly as he stroked Sakura's auburn tresses tenderly. Eriol gave a strange look at Yukito before signaling Kero-chan and Yue to follow him downstairs. As he was about to leave Sakura's bedroom, he turned to Yukito and said, "Yukito-san, please stay with Sakura while I discuss with Yue and Keroberos how we can help Sakura." Yukito nodded. "I won't leave her alone, not even a step away from her." Unshed tears shone in his hazel eyes from behind the glasses. As they left the room, Eriol thought to himself, "Could it be that Yukito's changed?"  
  
============================================================= A/N: Hey I didn't know the story would turn out this way!! I initially thought that it would be a one-shot fanfic! I'm just rambling here, but what do you think will happen? Would a Yukito+Sakura pairing be good, or a Yue+Sakura pairing be better? Or maybe....ERIOL AND SAKURA hahahahhahaha. Nah, I don't think it will be Eriol and Sakura cuz I just can't imagine that sly fellow with innocent Sakura!  
  
Eriol: Hey! Who are you calling sly? Hmmm, clever yes, but sly? *smiles that infuriating innocent smile of his that we ALL know that is NOT!*  
  
Kero-chan: How can you people talk about such wishy washy stuff about who to pair up with who in such a situation? Don't you all care about Sakura? If anything happens to Sakura.....I.....I.....I WON'T GET FED!!! I WON'T HAVE ANY DESSERTS!!!!!!!!!!  
  
A/N: *Sweatdrops* I'm sure Sakura will be alright.....but in the case that she's not, you can always stay with Eriol. I'm sure he'll feed you well.  
  
Kero-chan: WHAT? And stay with that loony Ruby Moon? Suppi is ok, but I can't stand Ruby Moon more than I can't stand Yue! Oops did I just say that in front of Yue? *Turns around slowly as he feel a cold chill travel down his spine*  
  
Yue: *Glares at Kero-chan, shooting daggers from his eyes*  
  
Yukito-san: .... *Smiles uncertainly, totally clueless....as usual....*  
  
A/N: Alright! Break's over, on with the story already!!!  
  
============================================================= Chapter Two: Mixed Emotions  
  
"Oh, Sakura, how I regret....." Yukito thought back to the day when Sakura told him excitedly about her intentions to separate himself from Yue, so that he no longer needs to share the same body with Yue.  
  
==Start of Flashback== "Yukito-san! Welcome! I prepared some snacks for you!" Sakura greeted Yukito happily as she led him into the kitchen. "Arigatou, Sakura-chan. Where's To-ya?" Yukito looked around the house. "Onni-chan has to work today. He'll be back later. Here's your tea and snacks!"  
  
Sakura smiled at Yukito again, and chattered happily, "Yukito-san, I think I can divide you and Yue into separate bodies, as Eriol-kun said that I'm now capable of doing that spell. What you think?"  
  
"Huh?" Yukito was taken aback, because in his wildest dreams he never imagines himself not sharing the same body with Yue. He scratched his mop of tousled silver-grey hair absent-mindedly as he replied hesitantly, "Are you sure, Sakura-chan? I have full confidence in you, of course, but...will you be ok? Will it be too much stress on you?"  
  
Sakura smiled sweetly, happy that Yukito-san is concerned about her. "Of course! I'll be ok! Don't worry!" In a more serious tone, she asked. "But are you ok with this? I think that it will be great for you, since you can then be with Onni-chan and study overseas with him. Isn't it? You know that Yue-san wants to stay in Japan...er....so that he can protect me." Sakura blushed a little.  
  
Yukito-san thought to himself, "Of course I would like to be with my best friend To-ya, but I haven't really decided which university to study in...and besides...I'll...I'll..." He realised with a start that he haven't really thought of going overseas for studies because he would miss Sakura. Sure he would miss To-ya if he stayed in Japan, but..Yukito shook his head as confused with is contradicting thoughts.  
  
"Yukito-san, are you alright?" Sakura asked with concern. Yukito's head snapped up and he smiled at Sakura. "Yes, Daijoubu. I'm just surprised that it's possible for me to be separated from Yue. Of course I would like to have my own body, Arigatou." Yukito thought that even if he doesn't go with To-ya for studies overseas, it would still be good to have total control over his own body and not wake up in strange places with blanks in his memory. He would finally feel like a REAL person, and not the figment of someone's imagination. Maybe then he could face up with his true feelings and....  
  
"OK!!! Then I'll make the necessary arrangements and let you know when we'll do the division!" Sakura whooped in joy, glad that she's able to do something for Yukito-san.  
  
==End of Flashback==  
  
Now, Yukito regretted his decision, for if he had rejected Sakura-chan's offer, she would not be in this miserable state. He hung his head in shame, sighing in sadness, thinking that his selfishness had hurt Sakura-chan. "Oh, Sakura-chan, I'm so, so sorry! I sincerely hope you will recover soon...because if you don't, I.....I....don't know what I will do!" Tears that had been on the brim of Yukito's eyes fell down finally. Through her haziness of sleep, Sakura could sense something wet landing on her face. "Nani..tears??? Who's?" She shifted uncomfortably in her bed. Though awake, she couldn't open her eyes as she was just so tired and weak. She also felt chilled to the bones. Yukito sensed her movements and saw her fidgeting. "Sakura-chan?"  
  
"Cold...so...cold.." Sakura manage to gasp out in short uneven breaths. Yukito felt her forehead and drew his hand back in surprise. Sakura's running a fever! He started to leave, wanting to get some ice or medicine to make her feel better, but his hand was caught in hers. "Don't....don't..leave me...Onegai...." Sakura whispered softly. Hearing Sakura's tortured whisper, Yukito-san had no choice but to stay with her. He tucked her under the blankets, and looked around for some warm clothing for her. But Yukito found that he can't move away from Sakura as she still had his hand tightly in hers. But Sakura was shivering badly, despite the thick blankets wrapped around her frail body. Yukito hesitated for a moment before he climbed into bed with Sakura, wrapping her tightly and warmly in his arms. "Sakura-chan, I'll be here with you." Sakura sighed in contentment.  
  
Downstairs, another person was thinking along the same line as Yukito. Yue was sick with guilt and remorse. He remembered that day when Sakura had asked him if he would like to be separated from Yukito-san, and all he had replied was, "Whatever you think is best, Mistress." He could still recall the stricken look on Sakura at his cold response. Finally, he had simply nodded and said, "Yes, if Yukito is agreeable to the idea too." Of course Yue known that Yukito had agreed, having Yukito's memories of being asked by Sakura first. When Yue discovered that Yukito's reply was sought before his, he had felt a strange twinge of emotion. If Yue had been more familiar with human emotions, he would have realized that what he had felt was jealously. Jealous that Sakura had chosen to speak to Yukito first, that Yukito had been first and foremost in her mind. But being clueless of this emotion that he hadn't felt before in his long life, he simply ignored it. However, Yue is no stranger to the feelings of guilt, having felt it when he had injured Sakura on Judgement Day. He now felt guilty that because of dividing himself from Yukito, Sakura is suffering. He just couldn't bear to be the cause of her suffering. But outwardly, Yue still displayed his expressionless face and cool eyes, revealing none of the turmoil he is feeling inside.  
  
Eriol's voice broke through Yue's turbulent thoughts. "I believe there's a way for you two to help Sakura, but are you up to it? It's going to be tough."  
  
Yue nodded, while Kero-chan exclaimed, "OF COURSE! We will help Sakura however we can! So what should we do?"  
  
"Sakura's powers are now reduced to almost nil because the spell went wrong. Since her magic has been supporting you two for the last few years, some of her powers are alive within your bodies. What you need to do is to transfer your powers to hers."  
  
"That's simple! Let's go now!" Kero-chan started to fly upstairs.  
  
"Wait, I'm not done." Eriol caught Kero-chan by his tail and held him back. "I have not explained the DANGER of doing so. Transferring of power is an extremely complex and dangerous process. You should still remember what happened to Touya when he transferred his to Yukito and Yue to sustain them when Sakura's was still too weak to support Yue." Eriol paused. Yes, all of them remember what Touya went through after that transfer. He was tired all the time, and after a while, though he slowly recovered his strength and become more energetic, he had a permanent adverse side-effect that he hid from Sakura. Touya is now worse than a 'normal' person. He is completely defenseless against any supernatural or magical attacks. A normal person has a layer of aura that prevents evil spirits or supernatural beings from invading or causing harm to their bodies. The strength of the aura varies from each individual, but everyone has it, even infants, though of course theirs are the weakest. In transferring their powers to Sakura, both Kero- chan and Yue could become like Touya. Which means that they would be unable to protect Sakura from anything in the future. This would inevitably lead to their feelings of helplessness and requesting that Sakura create new guardians to replace them.  
  
There was silence for a moment, before both of them nodded in unison and headed up to Sakura's room. "I hope that all goes well, for all of us", was all Eriol said as he followed the two guardians upstairs. Eriol bumped into the back of Yue at the entrance of Sakura's bedroom. He peered from behind and saw what stopped Yue from entering the room. Yukito was in bed with Sakura, holding her close to him. Sakura's face tilted up and a breath away from Yukito, while their limbs intertwined together like vines. They were both asleep, and the scene was so intimate that even Eriol blushed slightly. Kero-chan was gaping like a goldfish, his mouth opening and closing slowly, while Yue still stood shell-shocked, a strange expression on his face. On closer examination, Eriol discovered that Yue's expression was a cross between rage and jealously. Eriol sniggered in his own mind and thought, "This is going to be INTERESTING." Then his thoughts switched swiftly to more serious ones. Eriol cleared his throat and said softly to the two guardians. "We should wake Yukito-san up as quietly as we can first, before we start the process of transferring powers."  
  
Both guardians snapped to attention, eager to help Sakura as soon as they can. Eriol went forward to wake Yukito-up, careful not to disturb Sakura. "Yukito-san?" Yukito stirred and woke up. He blushed to the roots of his hair when he found the position he's in. Cautiously, he untangled himself from Sakura and stood up. "Have you guys found a way to cure Sakura?" Yukito asked quietly. "Yes, but we cannot be disturbed during the process. Do you mind standing guard downstairs in case there's someone visiting the Kinomotos unexpectedly?"  
  
"Hai, Eriol-kun, I will be downstairs then. Please let me know as soon as you are done. I'm really worried about Sakura-chan. Oh, and Sakura-chan was running a fever! Should we cure her fever first?" Yukito asked anxiously, casting a worried look at Sakura. "A fever?" Eriol frowned and he went to check Sakura's temperature. "Yes, she's having a fever. This is more serious than I thought. We will have to get her fever down before attempting the transference. Yukito-san, please see if there's medicine in the house, if not, we'll have to buy some for her. It's too dangerous to do anything when she is so physically ill and weak." Keroberos, please get some additional warm clothes and dress Sakura in them. Yue, please look after Sakura-chan. I have to get something for the transference, be right back." Without waiting for their replies, Eriol chanted something, as a magic seal appeared on the floor and he disappeared. Yukito hurried downstairs while Kero-chan went to the cupboard to rummage for Sakura's clothes. Yue stood beside Sakura's bed, looking down at her. Sakura was tossing and turning in bed, murmuring something. Yue strained his ears and heard, "Yukito-san..." Yue took a small step backward and frowned a little. Again, he felt that strange emotion. That indescribable feeling he had when Yukito's agreement for the division spell was sought before his, and when he saw Yukito in bed with Sakura just now. Yue is confused, he had never felt this way before, before he met Sakura. But over these two years, he had felt more emotions then he did in his centuries of life before meeting Sakura. Why?  
  
============================================================= A/N: ahhhhhhhhhhh, another short break. Please pardon me my dear readers. My eyes are blurring and my mind is numb. I truly don't know how this story is going to turn out, but at least I can answer Yue's question. Obviously he's feeling jealous and that's because he likes Sakura in that SPECIAL way. Is it love though? Could be, could be a budding love. How about Yukito? He seems to be in love with Sakura too. In this fanfic Yukito and Touya are just REALLY good friends (Sorry T+Y fans). But you never know, with my sick mind, I could get Touya involved and have a little sibling rivalry with Sakura in fighting over Yukito. *EVIL CHUCKLES*  
  
Yue: Me? Jealous? In love with...Sakura-sama? *Yue has a bewildered and somewhat helpless look in his face*  
  
Yukito: Sakura-chan..I love...you??? *Another puzzled face*  
  
Kero-chan: Nah...how can Yue, THE cold Yue fall in love with any other than Master Clow? Not possible, I'm willing to bet my last pudding on it. If I'm Sakura, and Yue and Yukito are the last men on earth, I would rather choose Yukito anytime. Yup yup yup!  
  
*Yue gives a stare so cold at Kero-chan that he freezes up visibly*  
  
*Yukito scratches his head* Er...Thank you Kero-chan..I think???  
  
A/N: Oh man, as much as I like Yue and Yukito, they can be really clueless sometimes. Sigh...Sakura, Sakura, Sakura. Who will you choose?  
  
And my dear readers, who will YOU choose? Please review!! 


	2. Chapt 3:Sakura's Strange Dream

Chapter Three: Sakura' Strange Dream  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I really really appreciate them!!! And thanks to Lau for pointing out that Yue and Yukito is essentially the same. I did think about it too, and yes, maybe Sakura's going to be with BOTH of them, happily-ever-after ahhhhhhhhhhhh......but I won't tell you now!!  
  
This chapter is not just about a strange dream that Sakura has, but also about Kero and Yue transferring their powers to Sakura. About strange dreams, you know that Sakura's dreams sort of predict the future right? This one's more like giving her a clue of what COULD happen. May or may not come true. And it's all rather vague, much as how dreams come.  
  
Alrighty!! On with it then!!  
  
=======CHAPTER 3: SAKURA'S STRANGE DREAM=========  
  
Sakura felt the absence of warm as Yukito-san left her side. She shivered involuntarily and forced her eyes to open. To her surprise, she found herself in a garden, sparsely dotted with some plants and flowers. There was a large Cherry Blossom Tree in the middle of the garden. There were two figures beneath the tree. "Kero-chan? Yue-san?" Kero-chan, in his originally big form, and Yue, were sleeping in the shade. She walked up to them and whispered in puzzlement, "Where am I?" A soft voice called out her name, "Sakura-chan." She turned around and said in surprise- "Yukito-san?" He smiled and took her hand as they sat down beside Kero-chan and Yue-san. "Yukito-san, do you know where we are?" But Yukito-san just held onto her hand and smiled silently. Not understanding anything, Sakura brows drew together as she tried to figure things out. So absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't realize that the two sleeping guardians had woke up and were now looking at her.  
  
"Sakura!" Kero-chan shouted happily, while Yue smiled at her warmly. She was pleasantly surprised to see Yue-san smiling at her like that. Kero-chan went nearer to her and nudged her with his furry head. Yue floated to her and hugged her in a close but gentle embrace, treating her like glass, as if he would shatter her if he held on too tightly. Sakura gasped; as this is the first time that Yue had chose to touch her without her being in danger of any kind. "Yue-san?" Yue simply gave her a tender look, and bent his head down to kiss her lightly on her forehead.  
  
Before she could say anything else, Sakura felt someone tugging her hand, pulling her away from Yue. "Huh?" Sakura turned in Yue's embrace and saw Yukito-san pulling her gently but persistently. He was still smiling sweetly at her, but there's now something more in his smile. What is it? Abruptly, Yue let go of her and she stumbled into Yukito's arms. Then both Yue and Yukito took a step away from her. Kero-chan looked up at Sakura and said, "Sakura, you must choose."  
  
"Choose? What? I don't understand!" Sakura replied in frustration. Kero- chan shook his head sadly. "Sakura, if you can't decide, you could lose Yue or Yukito. But don't worry, no matter what happens, we will always be with you. If not physically, at the least spiritually."  
  
"Lose Yue-san...or....lose Yukito-san???" Sakura was now more confused than ever. Suddenly Yue and Yukito faded away, while Kero-chan was also starting to look translucent. "Remember Sakura, be strong. We love you....." And Kero-chan disappeared along with Yue and Yukito. Sakura found herself alone in the garden, and a stark feeling of loneliness and despair crept into her heart. Tears start to fall from her eyes, making the usual emerald color turn moist-green like ferns after rain. "No..I...I...DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS!!!"  
  
Trapped in her dreams, Sakura can only toss and turn in bed, shivering with coldness that's not only in her body, but also in her heart. Yue saw tears flowing from Sakura' eyes and wiped them gently with his hands. Out of the blue, a strange feeling overcame Yue, leaving his throat all choked-up. Without thinking what he's doing, he leaned forward, putting his face close to Sakura's. His pale lips were just a hair's breadth away from Sakura's rosy ones when Kero-chan exclaimed happily, "Yay! I found Sakura's favorite pink wool-knitted jacket! Now let's keep her warm!" And the spell that Yue was in broke in less than a second. He straightened up quickly and took a step back, observing Kero-chan dressing Sakura-chan in another layer of clothes with an air of nonchalance.  
  
But Kero-chan was having difficulties dressing Sakura because of his big furry paws, which were too clumsy to handle clothing. Moreover, Sakura was moving about in bed uneasily from the effects of being ill and from the disturbing dream she's having. "Yue! A little help here!" Kero looked to Yue, who just lifted his brows slightly. "Help Sakura into these clothes will ya?" Kero cried out in frustration. Yue took the knitted sweater from Kero-chan and held Sakura up so that he could pull it over her head. He frowned when he felt Sakura's clothes. "Her clothes are soaked..." Kero checked and said in a worried tone, "She perspiring from the fever....I don't think we should leave her in wet clothes, she might get sicker. Let me find some pajamas for her to change into. Kero rummaged through the cupboard again and found a pink pajamas with cute yellow stars printed all over. "Ok Yue, change her into these clothes." Yue gasped, "Huh? But, I....."  
  
Being a stuffed-toy living in Sakura's room for so long, Kero has long gotten used to seeing Sakura change for school or to go out. He found nothing strange in helping her change. "Hurry up Yue! She moving about so much maybe cuz she don't feel comfortable in these wet clothes! Do you want her to get worse?" Kero snapped in an impatient tone. Yue stiffened, and then he nodded. Kero suddenly remembered that Yukito was supposed to bring some medicine for Sakura, but there's no sign of him. "I'm going to check on Yukito, maybe he doesn't know where the medicine are placed." And Kero left before Yue could protest.  
  
Yue sighed, seeing that he has no choice but to carry out the task as soon as he can. Shyly, he unbuttoned Sakura's top. Yue tried to avert his eyes but they were drawn to the cute undergarment that Sakura was wearing. It was pink cotton, much like the color of cotton candy. He noted that Sakura are developing well for a teenager, and blushed. Yue quickly change her into the fresh pajamas top, and proceed to strip her of her skirt. Again, Yue can't help but notice the matching panties, as well as the exposed pale long legs. They were smooth, but currently glistened with sweat. To Yue's eyes, it seems that Sakura's legs were shining. He averted his eyes to Sakura's face, and saw her lips move to form his name, "Yue-san?" Yue felt a familiar feeling washing over him. It was what he felt whenever Clow smiles at him. It's a feeling of mixed tenderness, desire and love.  
  
"Yue-san, we've found some medicine for Sakura-chan!" Yukito's voice rang out from the stairs as he prepared to enter the room. Yue shut off his thoughts and quickly dressed Sakura into the bottom half of her pajamas before Yukito entered the room. Yukito took the medicine to Sakura and shook her lightly. Kero hovered behind. "Sakura-chan, please wake up and take this medicine, it'll make you feel better." Sakura stirred and slowly regain consciousness, but she was still feeling groggy, as if her head was underwater and laden with cotton. "What?" She murmured weakly. Yukito fed her the medicine efficiently, and Sakura fell back into slumber after that. She seems to be breathing better and had stopped moving restlessly. Both Kero and Yukito breathed a sigh of relief. Yue was so preoccupied with what he had just felt for Sakura that he didn't notice anything. He didn't even feel Eriol's presence when he appeared in the room. "How is Sakura now?"  
  
"Eriol! Sakura's feeling better now." Kero replied. "Eriol checked on Sakura and nodded. "Good, we can now start the transference. Yukito-san, please make sure we are not disturbed. Arigatou."  
  
"Hai. Please let me know when you are done so that I can know how Sakura- chan is." Yukito left the room and went downstairs.  
  
Eriol set up a circle on the floor with some magical artifacts, and instructed Yue to carry Sakura to the middle of it. He also told the two guardians to be in the circle, and stand next to Sakura. "Now, put your hands on Sakura and concentrate on the flow of energy from your bodies to hers." Then Eriol chanted something in a foreign language as Yue and Kero focused on the transference. "Sakura-sama, I will save you! By transferring all my powers to you..I just hope that it's enough..Please, please be alright." These were Yue's last thoughts before a bright light exploded within the circle, signaling the process of the transference. When it faded away, there were three unconscious bodies inside.  
  
In her sleep, Sakura felt someone lifting her from the bed and putting her down on the floor. And then warm hands on her shoulders and furry paws on her lap. Before she could register who was touching her, she felt two flows of aura filling her, making her stronger. She recognized those auras. They belong to Yue and Kero. Then abruptly, the two flows of energy disappeared, as something heavy slumped over her body.  
  
Someone was calling her name, and Sakura woke up to see Yukito and Eriol peering down at her. "What happened?" She asked in a clear, strong voice. "Sakura-chan, you feeling better?"  
  
"Yes, I feel fine now. Thank you. But what were the two flows of energy I felt entering my body just now? I recognize their aura as Yue-san's and Kero-chan's...hey!! Where are they?" Sakura sat up and looked around her. They were no trace of the two guardians.  
  
Eriol and Yukito shook their heads sadly, but didn't reply her.  
  
================to be continued===============  
  
A/N: Hey I know it's a cliff-hanger, but strangely, the two guardians' presences have eluded my mind too! What do you think has happened to Yue and Kero-chan? Are they gone? Personally I like happy-endings, so I'll try my very best to give you a happily-ever-after kind of ending. I mean, the world is already sad enough as it is!!  
  
But that again depends on my characters, as I suspect they are having minds of their own sometimes...sigh.....And frankly, one of the fun things about writing a story is not knowing how it'll turn out. It gives motivation to carry writing! Of course, REVIEWS, especially kind ones, are also a source of motivation to continue with the story!!! So you know what to do, ne??? ^_^ 


	3. Chapt 4:Yue's Gone

Chapter 4: Yue's Gone  
  
A/N: Yaaaaaaaaaaa, from the title, this chapter will not involve Yue, cuz he's gone!! Where did he go? Will he be back? Of COURSE! If I don't bring him back Sakura will be miserable, and ME too! (Did I say I'm a fan of Yue? Hehehe).  
  
Oh, by the way, a warning here, there's going to be fluff between Yukito and Sakura....I'm not going to tell you what...READ!  
  
Thank you thank you thank you to all those who have read and reviewed my Fanfic!!!  
  
========== Chapter 4: Yue's Gone==========  
  
==Sakura's POV== "Where are they?" I demanded desperately again, as Eriol-kun and Yukito-san just shook their heads at me. I closed my eyes and tried to trace Yue-san's and Kero-chan's auras. To my relief, I could sense a little of Kero-chan's aura, though barely, next door in Touya's room. Then I focused on searching for Yue's. NO! NO! NO! This can't be true!!! I can't sense him at all!! Where, where is Yue?  
  
Yet deep down, I could guess what happened. The two flows of aura entering my body, and helping me to regain my strength were Yue's and Kero's. Kero- chan's aura is so weak, it must be because he gave his energy to me. But what about Yue? Why is he missing? Did he......  
  
I opened my eyes and glared with tears in my eyes at Eriol, not wanting to believe the worst, but fearing so. "Eriol-kun, please, please tell me what happened to Yue-san! WHY CAN'T I SENSE HIS AURA???"  
  
"Sakura, please calm down first." Eriol-kun tried to soothe my apparently frazzled nerves. He explained about why the division spell has gone wrong, and apologizing profusely at this. Then he told me about the transference of powers to help me recover. Kero-chan is alright, though rather weak now, because his symbol was the Sun, and he's able to absorb some energy back right after the transfer. I continued listening to Eriol-kun's explanation, saying that the transference has not gone well for Yue-san because he over- exerted himself in the process and gave up ALL his powers. And a magical being without any powers cannot exist, unless he can take on a false form. Unfortunately, since Yukito-san, his former false form, is split from Yue- san, there isn't a false form for Yue to transform into. At that, I paled visibly. I was right. It's because of me that Yue-san has disappeared.  
  
Tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes, fell freely now. I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my skin, tearing it and causing small rivets of blood to flow. Good, I like pain, I DESERVE pain. I could vaguely hear concerned voices calling my name, but I couldn't be bothered to reply. I was dazed at the knowledge that Yue is GONE. That I will never see him again. NEVER? I started to laugh hysterically, while crying at the same time.  
  
A kind hand gripped my shoulder. But again, I didn't bother with it. NOTHING else matters anymore. Nothing. I felt such immense pain and despair in my heart that it's tearing my insides, that I simply feel like dying. Then someone drew me into his embrace. I numbly let it be. I don't care who it is. I had stop laughing like a manic, and was just sobbing my heart out now. My hands involuntarily came up to hug the person comforting me, arms around his waist.  
  
====End of Sakura's POV====  
  
When Sakura has started crying, then laughing hysterically, Yukito and Eriol knew that she's blaming herself for Yue, and feeling such despair that she doesn't know what to do. This was the first time Yukito and Eriol have seen her so upset, and they felt helpless. Then Yukito saw Sakura's hands clenching so hard that blood flowed from them, and he put a hand on Sakura, wanting to console her. But Sakura seemed to be in a world of her own, not hearing or seeing them anymore. The look on Sakura's face was heart-wrenching. Eriol whispered to Yukito, "Take care of her, I need to find a way to bring Yue back...and when she calms down, tell her that I'll be trying my best to bring Yue back no matter what. I'll be bringing Kero- chan with me back home for a while, Spinel can take care of him. You just focus on taking care of Sakura-chan?" Yukito nodded, and blinked as Eriol did his disappearing act again.  
  
Yukito took Sakura into his arms, and heard her sobbing against his chest. Her arms went around his waist as she hugged him. Yukito rested his chin lightly on Sakura's head of auburn hair, and murmured soothingly as his hugged her back in a warm and tight embrace. After half an hour, Sakura's cries gradually died down to sniffles. She raised her head up and look into Yukito's eyes with her own red and puffy ones. "Yukito-san, arigatou...." She whispered brokenly.  
  
"Sakura-chan, you don't need to thank me for anything. I'm happy that you allow me to console you. Eriol-kun has taken Kero-chan to his home, so that Spinel can take care of him. Eriol-kun also asked me to tell you that he WILL find a way to bring Yue-san back, no matter what. So please, please don't be sad." Yukito stroked Sakura's hair with tenderness while he's talking.  
  
Sakura nodded, and hope gathering within the depths of her emerald-green eyes. She smiled tentatively, as if it takes some effort to do that. "I guess, I guess I have to trust Eriol-kun then."  
  
Yukito sighed silently in relief, glad that Sakura seems to feel better. He stood up and was about to suggest some supper when he noticed Sakura's bleeding hands again. "Sakura-chan! Your hands are bleeding! Let me get the first aid box!" Then he rushed to the bathroom at the speed of wind.  
  
Sakura was glazing dazedly into the air when Yukito came back into the room. She had a lost and faraway look in her eyes, and an obvious expression of sadness in her face. Yukito felt his heart clenched, and he hurried over to Sakura. "Sakura-chan?" He called softly. Sakura snapped back into reality and looked at Yukito-san. She tried to smile bravely, but it was forced. "Yukito-san. Dai-jou-bu, don't worry." Yukito frowned a little, but kept quiet. He took Sakura's hands and proceeds with the cleaning and applying of medical lotion. He felt Sakura's hands stiffened at the sting of the antiseptic lotion. "Sakura-chan? Is it painful?"  
  
"Dai..Daijoubu!" Again, Sakura tried to put Yukito's mind at ease by trying to be brave. Yukito blew softly and gently onto Sakura's injured hands, hoping to ease some of the sting. Sakura's eyes widened and she blushed. Yukito-san's breath feels so warm and....nice. She smiled dreamily. Yukito looked up from Sakura's hands and saw her smiling dreamily. It was a genuine smile. He was glad, even though he had no idea why she's smiling like that. He leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly on her cheek, intending it to be a friendly kiss. She blushed even more furiously. Shifting her eyes around, they finally landed on Yukito's. She gazed deeply into his amber eyes, feeling her body fill with a warm sensation that spread to her bones. She tilted ahead to return Yukito's kiss with one of her own, on his cheek.  
  
Yukito was surprised to see Sakura moving her lips close to his face, and stumbled. His sudden movement caused Sakura's lips to land on his lips instead of his cheek. Sakura had closed her eyes when she was aiming a kiss on Yukito's cheeks, but felt the softness of his lips and her eyes popped open. Yukito was looking deep into her eyes, and something clouded over his eyes.  
  
====Yukito's POV===== Oh my GOD! Is Sakura-chan going to kiss me back? I know kisses among friends are normal, just to express being affectionate towards someone. But why is my heart thundering? I stumbled as her eyes closed and rosy lips came closer to mine. I closed my eyes but opened them quickly when I felt her kiss my lips. My heart stilled for what seems like an eternity, before I looked deep into her beautiful green eyes. I was captivated. She's stunning. I was drawn to her like a magnet. My arms wrapped around her and I deepened the kiss between us. It was electrifying. I never knew kisses could be.....this soul-shattering experience, but then again, I have never kissed anyone on the lips before. I hadn't the urge to do it ever, and I didn't know that the urge to kiss Sakura has been growing within the two years that she's blossoming before my eyes. From a small, cute and adorable cherry blossom, to a stunning Sakura that puts the most beautiful and colorful flower to shame. Strangely, the emptiness that I always felt disappeared. The emptiness that To-ya had filled a little, and I had tried to fill in the rest with food is miraculously gone with this one kiss, this earth-shaking kiss with MY Sakura. Is this....LOVE?  
  
My arms tightened around Sakura's waist, neither of us breaking this wondrous kiss between us. I felt her respond at first with shock, then shyness, and now, passion that meets mine. Her sweet mouth parted and all thoughts flew out of my mind, those thoughts that had told me not to imagine things, that I am too old for Sakura, and that she'll definitely find someone better, simply dissipated. I took the chance to slip my tongue into her mouth, and felt her gasp in pleasure and shock. Then our tongues tangled together in a joyful dance of love, and she moaned into my mouth.  
  
I was consumed with love and desire. She smells so good, just like her name, the cherry blossom scent filling my senses and making me slightly light-headed. I didn't ever want this kiss to stop. I never want to let go of her.  
  
======End of Yukito's POV========  
  
Sakura was shocked when Yukito-san deepened the kiss, but was soon kissing back with the same wild abandon that he was exhibiting. As she felt Yukito- san's arms tightened around her body, she wanted to sink deeper into the kiss than it was physically possible. To her, it's a dream come true. She never imagined Yukito-san to return her feelings, as he had so gently but firmly rejected her three years ago when she confessed her love for him. She was in heaven. As Yukito's tongue caressed hers, her hands went up to tangle themselves in his soft smooth grayish-silver hair, so much like.....Yue's. Sakura suddenly thought of Yue and she broke the kiss. Feelings of confusion came over her. There was guilt, for Yue's whereabouts is currently unknown and yet she's enjoying herself. Yet, besides guilt, there was something else she's feeling.....as if she's....she's betraying Yue by kissing Yukito-san???  
  
Yukito was surprised to feel Sakura's lips leaving his. He looked at Sakura's face attentively and saw an expression of guilt. "Sakura?" He murmured huskily, still feelings the aftershocks of the amazing kiss they just shared. Sakura turned her face away and blushed a vivid red. Yukito thought that he had mistaken the expression on Sakura, and hugged her to him. "Sakura, I think I'm in love with you."  
  
To his amazement, Sakura went still in his arms and then sobbed brokenly. "Sakura? Why are you crying? Are you.....are you offended by the kiss and my....confession?" Yukito was confused by Sakura's behavior. From the way Sakura had responded to his kiss, he had deduced that Sakura returned his feelings. Was he WRONG?  
  
=======to be continued==========  
  
A/N: Sorry if there's too much fluff in this chapter, but I just couldn't resist it!!! Didn't you ever wished that Sakura and Yukito will KISS? Well, I did. So I MADE them do it!!! For Yue's fans, don't worry, there will DEFINITELY be a kissing scene between Yue and Sakura too. Just not in this chapter. And...Sakura STILL doesn't know who she loves!!! Hmmm....poor Yue...I'll BRING YOU BACK in the next chapter!!! Oh, and please, pretty please REVIEW!!! Thanks!  
  
Sakura: Hoeee! YOU made me kiss Yukito-san??? No wonder! I thought it's a bit strange how I was so forward and daring...  
  
Authoress: Ha! As if you DIDN'T WANT TO. I was just fulfilling your wish too you know?  
  
*Sakura Blushes, not denying her desire to kiss Yukito-san*  
  
*Yukito-san just smiles and looks tenderly at Sakura-chan*  
  
Kero-chan: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS HUH???? Putting me in the care of that weird Eriol and loony-bin Ruby Moon!!! Spinel Sun's alright but he's too uptight. IT'S GONNA BE BORING THERE!!! And I missed all the action between Yukito and Sakura!!!!  
  
Authoress: Kero-chan, I could have just made you DISAPPEAR like Yue you know. Only thing is, I probably WOULD NOT have brought you back. *Evil Smile*  
  
Kero-chan gulped, and looked fearfully at me. "Er..I think it's time for my dinner...ja ne!!!" And he flew off as quickly as he can.  
  
P/S: Did you notice that Yukito has started calling Sakura 'Sakura' instead of 'Sakura-chan' after the kiss? Heh heh heh... 


	4. Chapt 5:Back to the Past

Chapter 5: Back to the Past  
  
A/N: Arigatou Mina-san!!! For all your wonderful reviews! And to Lau, I'm glad you like that Y+S scene! This chapter is going to be looooooooooooong. Cuz I have to bring Yue back and it's really a tedious process....but oh, definitely worth it!!! Besides, if I don't bring Yue back soon, I'll probably get killed by Yue's fans......*sweatdrops* BUT...Yue will be back only in the NEXT chapter..ok ok ok!! Don't Kill Me!! I'll work my butt off to bring you the next chapter in a few days time!!! Oh ya, and a little short scene on Sakura and Syaoran.  
  
Okaaaaaaaaaaaay, on with it already!!! Yup, and if you have any ideas on the story you would like to share, please REVIEW!! Or email me at kath_windy@yahoo.com But anyway, please do DO review!!!  
  
===================================== Last Chapter: Yukito and Sakura kissed, and he confessed his love for her. But to his amazement, she CRIED! What happened?  
  
==================================== To his amazement, Sakura went still in his arms and then sobbed brokenly. "Sakura? Why are you crying? Are you.....are you offended by the kiss and my....confession?" Yukito was confused by Sakura's behavior. From the way Sakura had responded to his kiss, he had deduced that Sakura returned his feelings. Was he WRONG?  
  
"Oh, Yukito-san, it's.....I'm just worried about Yue." Sakura answered weakly. Understanding dawned in Yukito's amber eyes. "I understand, Sakura. I'm worried about him too! Yue and I have been together for so long that I felt a part of me gone when his mind separated from mine into different bodies. And now, not sensing his presence, I feel a gut-wrenching loss deep inside." Yukito's eyes softened as he told Sakura his true feelings.  
  
Tears trailed down Sakura's emerald-green eyes, as she once again thought about Yue's disappearance. She shivered, from the coldness that seem to gnaw at her heart ever since Yue had disappeared. Yukito cupped Sakura's face and lowered his lips to the corner of her eyes and brushed away her tears with butterfly kisses. Sakura's arms wrapped around Yukito more tightly, seeking comfort and warmth to thaw the coldness in her heart. Feeling Sakura's body pressed against his, he couldn't help but give in to the desire smoldering inside him. While his butterfly kisses had been chaste, now they were driven with something more powerful - passion. Yukito's kisses went lower, as he placed his warm lips on the pale column of Sakura's throat. Sakura tilted her head back and whimpered.  
  
"Ahem, sorry if I have interrupted anything....." A bemused voice broke into the silence.  
  
Sakura and Yukito sprang apart, embarrassed to the core. Yukito had a shy look on his face while Sakura's cheeks burned.  
  
"Yukito-san, I DID told you to take care of Sakura-chan.....but maybe I shouldn't have......Didn't you know that Sakura-chan shouldn't go through STRENUOUS activities right after she's just recovered?" Eriol teased.  
  
"Hoooooee? What strenuous activities?" Sakura asked, clueless about what Eriol was talking about.  
  
However, Yukito was not as naïve as Sakura, and answered in a flustered tone, "I didn't! We didn't do THAT!!!"  
  
Eriol raised an eye-brow and he smirked. "I didn't say you DID."  
  
"Huh? What are you two talking about?" Sakura's puzzlement grew as she looked to Yukito for an answer.  
  
He blushed, not meeting Sakura's eyes. "Ah, it's nothing, Sakura." No way he's going to explain to Sakura what Eriol meant. Sakura's still too innocent for that kind of explanation.  
  
Eriol gave another bemused look at the two before turning serious. "Sakura- chan, I have found a way to bring Yue back. Well, actually, it's not bringing him back, because I have absolutely no idea where he's now. Rather, it's to return to the past, and stop the division of Yukito and Yue from happening."  
  
"How do we return to the past...OH, you mean use the RETURN card?"  
  
Eriol nodded grimly. "You are right, but there's always the danger of.."  
  
"I'm not afraid of any danger as long as I can save Yue!" Sakura interrupted, with determination in her voice.  
  
"Sakura-chan, please let me finish. I know you are anxious to save Yue, and we all are. But we won't want to save Yue at the expense of sacrificing anyone, I'm sure Yue would feels the same way."  
  
Sakura kept quiet. She gave a gesture for Eriol to continue talking.  
  
"Thank you. The danger of using the 'Return' card is that you may not end up where you want to. Right now, our target is to return back to one week's time, before you asked Yukito and Yue if they would want separate bodies. You'll have to stop yourself from asking them. And come back to the present as soon as you have accomplish that."  
  
"But as the card is highly unstable, you could miss that timeslot and be thrown further back in time than that. If that happens, you must try to return to present as soon as you can. For the longer you stay in the past, the more dangerous it is for all of us. You could disrupt the timeline and cause future events to change."  
  
"I won't be going back to the past with you, as I'll be the anchor here in case anything happens. It won't do for the two of us to get lost in the past. Now, we have to get to the Moon Shrine, and borrow the powers of that big spiritual tree there to use the RETURN."  
  
Sakura processed all that Eriol had said, and nodded, more determined to save Yue than ever. They headed for the Moon Shrine. Fortunately, there was nobody around, so it's easier to use the RETURN. Yukito-san gave Sakura a hug and whispered into her ear, "Sakura, please come back safely, I'm be waiting for you." Sakura smiled reassuringly and replied in a cheerful voice, "Hai! Don't worry!" Eriol looked at her and marveled at how strong her will has grown since they have last met. He said, "I have every confidence in you, Sakura-chan." She nodded and turned to face the tree in the Moon Shrine.  
  
Sakura took out her staff and the 'Return' card and chanted something under her breath. "Release and dispel! RETURN!" A black hole appeared in the tree and she was swallowed inside. She could barely hear Eriol shouting something vaguely as she was enveloped in the darkness.  
  
"Sakura-chan, there's something wrong with the time dimension!" Eriol tried to use his magic to stop the 'Return' but it was too late.  
  
==========================  
  
Sakura woke up to hear someone calling her name frantically in an Osaka accent. "Sakura!!! Sakura!!!"  
  
She forced her eyes open and saw Kero-chan (in his stuffed-toy mode) looking at her worriedly. "Sakura!!! I tried to wake you for the last 15 minutes and you had no response! I was so worried when I felt your aura disappeared for a while just now! Luckily, it returned right after a few seconds and..."  
  
Sakura blinked at the rambling Kero-chan, and interrupted him, "Kero-chan! You are alright!!"  
  
Kero-chan gave her a strange look. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Sakura realized that she must have returned to the past. "Where's Yue?"  
  
Kero-chan's beady eyes grew twice its usual size. "How do you know about Yue?"  
  
"Huh? Why shouldn't I know...WAIT A MINUTE! WHAT'S TODAY DATE?" Sakura turned to look that the calender by her bedside, too impatient to wait for Kero-chan's reply.  
  
Her hands went to her mouth as she gasped out. "Oh my god, I'm back in fifth grade. Back in my own fifth grade body and not as my older self.."  
  
"Sakura?? What are you mumbling about? Are you alright??" Kero-chan put a soft paw on her forehead. "You don't have a fever...WAIT! You haven't answered me! How do you know about Yue!"  
  
Sakura ignored Kero-chan as she went to her drawer and took out the Clow books. Yes, they are still Clow cards, as she have not turned them into Sakura cards yet. The first two cards on the top of the deck drew her attention. "The Dark and The Light."  
  
"Yes, Sakura, you did a good job capturing those two cards at the school play. And also great work at the 'Twin' card, though that two Chinese-kids did help somewhat. Of course, with the GREAT Keroberos by your side, how can you help but do a good job of things." Kero-chan nodded with pride.  
  
Sakura thought to herself - So, Meiling is back to Hong Kong now..and there's one more card to capture before the Judgement. Oh, I better answer Kero-chan about Yue before he gets anymore suspicious.  
  
"I know about Yue from The Light and The Dark. They told me that Yue is going to judge if I'm the chosen mistress for the Clow cards." Sakura finally answered Kero-chan wearily. She was disappointed that she had somehow messed up the spell to return to the right point of time in the past. And not only that, she's now stuck in her 11 year-old body. She glanced at the mirror, taking in the young innocent face, large pools of emerald-green eyes and short auburn hair. Yup, she's 11 year-old alright. And best part is, she still can't see Yue yet, as he would only appear after she had gathered ALL the Clow cards. She sighed.  
  
Before Kero-chan could say anything else, there was a shout from downstairs. "Kai-juu!! Breakfast is ready! You'll be LATE AGAIN!" Touya sounded slightly irritated.  
  
"Coming!!" Sakura an answering shout before changing into her uniform hurriedly. Tying her hair into her old hair-style, she remembered Eriol's words about not disrupting the history, so she decided to pretend that she's REALLY still a fifth grader, and follow her actions of the past. She wondered how long she has to be stuck here in the past, since she doesn't have her star staff nor her Sakura cards now. And there's NO cards that would bring her back to the future.  
  
She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to focus on reaching Eriol through the time dimension, or willing herself back to the future, but it was useless. However, Kero-chan noticed that her aura grew when she was focusing.  
  
"Hey Sakura! When did your magic grow? What happened?" Kero-chan asked suspiciously.  
  
"Ah..hahaha,..I don't know...OH GOSH I'M SO LATE...got to rush!" and Sakura escaped downstairs.  
  
Instead of her usual stomping, she was quiet and graceful. In the years that she's become the mistress of the Sakura cards, grown into a teenager, she's changed into a more graceful person. The change was amazing, but everyone agreed it's for the better, especially Touya, who said, "Well, at least now we have more peace in the house, though the Kai-juu is still a Kai-juu."  
  
Sakura's put on her first smile since she returned to the past. She walked to the dinning room and greeted her brother, "Ohayo, Onni-chan."  
  
Touya looked at her with surprise, as he didn't hear her coming downstairs. "What? No stomping today? Oh I guess it's going to rain later.." Touya teased her. He was surprised again when she didn't reply with her usual jib and stamping on his leg. Instead, Sakura gave a weak smile before settling down for breakfast. She had no mood at all.  
  
"Where's Otousan?" She asked.  
  
Touya looked at the white board where their schedule is written pointedly. Sakura's dad has to be in the University that he teaches at earlier than usual today. Sakura nodded and ate her breakfast quickly, not wanting to be late.  
  
Touya gave Sakura another strange look before preparing to go out. "Wait Onni-chan, I'll walk with you." Sakura swallowed the last of her meal quickly and got up. They left the house together, and headed for the junction where they usually meet Yukito.  
  
"To-ya! Sakura-chan! Ohayo!" Yukito waved at them from a distance.  
  
"Ohayo." Touya replied in greeting, while keeping an eye on Sakura discretely. He knows that there's something different about Sakura, just that he couldn't place a finger on what it is.  
  
"Ohayo, Yukito-san!" Sakura answered cheerfully. But the sharp eyes of Touya noticed that she did not blush as she usually does. His dark eyes narrowed.  
  
Meanwhile, Sakura was too absorbed in her thoughts to notice her onni- chan's attention on her. Yukito-san, you don't know how I feel now, seeing you and knowing that Yue is inside of you, but not able to talk to Yue. I know he's asleep inside you, but soon, soon I'll see Yue. There's only one more card to capture before the judgement. The Earthy. And that's tomorrow.....after your archery competition with Mizuki Sensei.....  
  
Sakura was unusually quiet, so Yukito tried to draw her into a conversation. "Sakura-chan, you will be coming to watch the archery competition tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, of course! And I'll prepare lunch for you too!" Sakura replied, remembering just in time that she HAD prepared lunch for Yukito, Syao-ran, Tomoyo and of course, Kero-chan with the bottomless stomach. Thinking about Syaoran brought a little wistful smile on her face. Syaoran had gone back to Hong Kong after she had turned all the Clow cards into Sakura cards, and they had corresponded through letters since then. Technically, she have not seen Syaoran for two years, and she's looking forward to seeing him again. She hummed happily as she continued blading to school. Soon her school was in sight, and she waved a good-bye to both Yukito and Touya.  
  
"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo greeted her. Sakura stared at the young Tomoyo. When Tomoyo had become a teenager, she had cut her hair till its shoulder-length. So it's a surprise to see her shorter in height and in hair length. Sakura greeted back Tomoyo cheerfully, trying to act as naturally as she could. But of course, the perceptive Tomoyo noticed something ODD about Sakura almost immediately. "Sakura-chan? Are you alright? You seem....different."  
  
Trying to dismiss Tomoyo's suspicions, Sakura's mind scrambled for a believable excuse. "Oh, I'm just so excited about Yukito-san's archery match tomorrow!"  
  
Tomoyo seemed to buy her story, and nodded with a knowing smile. "Yes, I understand your excitement. Let's head for class or we'll be late."  
  
Sakura was about to enter the classroom when she sensed a familiar aura behind her. She was about to greet him 'Syao-ran-kun' when she remembered that they are not in such good terms NOW yet. So she just turned around and greeted him "Ohayo, Li-Kun." But she flashed him a stunning beam of joy, as she's just so glad to see him. He blushed and stammered, "O-ha-yo!"  
  
Lessons went on as usual, and soon school's over. Sakura waved a goodbye to Tomoyo, and turned to Syaoran. "Li-kun, are you free now?" She couldn't resist but to spend a little more time with him, not knowing when the time dimension will distort and draw her back to her present.  
  
"Yes...But..." Syaoran answered hesitatingly.  
  
"Great! Let's go for a drink!" Sakura took his hand and led him to a nearby café. His face turned red as Sakura hand held his, but he followed silently.  
  
"Li-kun, the strawberry shake is nice, do try it!"  
  
"Yes, and may I take your orders?" the waitress in the café asked politely.  
  
"Er...okay, I'll have a strawberry shake as well." Syaoran replied.  
  
The waitress left and Syaoran asked, "So what's it you want to talk to me about? Is it the Clow cards?"  
  
Sakura just smiled happily at him and kept quiet. Syaoran blushed again, not understanding why she's looking at him like she's seeing a long-lost friend.  
  
Finally, the drinks came and an annoyed but familiar voice broke the silence. "Here's your drinks." Both looked up to see Touya. "Onni-chan! What are you..oh, you are working here right?" Sakura sighed inwardly, she should know that her onni-chan worked almost anywhere. Touya ignored Sakura's question and gave a death glare at Syaoran, who returned one in kind. "What are you doing here, you Chinese-gaki?" Syaoran sputtered but Sakura interrupted their glaring match before it could get further. "Onni- chan, don't you have to work?" Touya gave Syaoran a final glare before he reluctantly returned back to work.  
  
"Sorry about that, Li-kun. By the way, I just want to inform you that we have one more card to capture."  
  
"I know that already. But what's the last card?"  
  
"The Earthy. It's one of the four elemental cards. Very tough to handle...." Sakura stopped when she realized Syaoran looking at her weirdly.  
  
"How do you know that?" The Sakura he knows is oblivious and hardly knowledgeable about the Clow cards.  
  
"Oh, Kero-chan told me...." Sakura covered up quickly.  
  
An awkward silence followed. Both drank their shakes.  
  
Sakura was debating within herself, not knowing if she should warn Syaoran about the Judgement. She knows that he will be shocked to find out that Yukito-san is Yue, who's the judge of the candidates to be the new master. She decided to keep quiet about it, as she has no idea how it would affect the history. But still, she has to warn him a little.  
  
"Li-kun, you better rest well tonight and be prepared for tomorrow.."  
  
"Huh?" Syaoran gave Sakura a puzzled look  
  
"I mean you get prepared to meet us and watch Yukito-san's archery match tomorrow. If you don't have enough rest, you may fall asleep during the match."  
  
"I won't." Syaoran grunted.  
  
"Alright. Well, I've to get going, it's really nice to see you again." Sakura had the slip of the tongue before she realized it.  
  
"Huh? What do you mean?" Syaoran was befuddled.  
  
"Nan-demo-nai. Ja-ne, Matta ashita!" Sakura waved and bladed away before Syaoran could ask anymore. Sakura reached home and found it empty. She went to her room and plopped down on bed. "Sakura! You're home!" Kero-chan greeted her as he continued with his video game.  
  
"Hai." Sakura closed her eyes and tried to contact Eriol or find a way to return to her present again. Though she's in her fifth grade body, her aura is that of a teenager. That means she's stronger in magic. Kero-chan paused his game and gazed at her in amazement. "Sakura!" His voice broke her concentration and she snapped, "What?" Once she had stopped focusing, her aura became 'normal' again. Kero-chan blinked in surprise. Was it just his imagination? It happened this morning too.  
  
"Sakura, is there something you are not telling me?" Kero-chan asked in a suspicious tone.  
  
"Of course not! What do you mean?" Sakura tried to act blur.  
  
"Your aura! Why did it flare up, growing stronger and weaker in a matter of seconds? It's so strange!"  
  
Sakura pondered, whether it's safe to tell Kero-chan the truth. Besides Tomoyo, Kero-chan is her next best friend. But....history might change..so she still decided to keep quiet. "I don't know. Kero-chan, shall I buy you some pudding?" Sakura was hoping the mention of desserts would distract him. It worked.  
  
"Pudding Pudding Pudding!! Yay! Ok, thanks Sakura!" Kero-chan exclaimed in joy.  
  
"Ok, I'll be back later, you continue with your game ok?"  
  
Kero-chan nodded happily and unpaused his game.  
  
Sakura left the house, glad that she didn't need to prepare dinner today. She wrote a note to inform her family that she's out for a walk, in case they worry about her. After buying Kero-chan some pudding, she ended in empty Penguin Park and sat on the swing. Looking up at the sky, she saw the full moon in all its glory. "Yue....I miss you." She murmured, as tears fell from her eyes. She didn't notice a figure approaching her, and jumped when someone called her.  
  
"Sakura-chan?"  
  
"Yukito-san! What are you doing here?" She was surprised to see him. Maybe her thoughts of Yue brought him here. Nah, don't be silly, she told herself and shook her head.  
  
"I was taking a walk, it's such a beautiful night, with the full moon." Yukito sat down on the swing beside Sakura. He noticed tear streaks on her face and asked in a concerned voice. "Sakura-chan? Are you alright?"  
  
Sakura smiled, glad for his concern. "Daijoubu. The moon....is so beautiful that it touched my heart." Not being able to tell the truth, she could only think of this excuse.  
  
"Oh, I like the moon a lot too, somehow, it just soothes me." Yukito gazed at the moon and a flash of amethyst appeared in his amber eyes. Sakura blinked, and it was gone. Must be Yue, he missing the moon. Oh Yue, tomorrow seems such a long time away. Tomorrow, will you still look at me with concern? Don't remember so. I remember your cold silver eyes when you appeared to judge Syaoran and me that night. We were your enemies then, because you didn't want a new master. You love Clow. But do you still love him?  
  
They sat together in comfortable silence. Sakura was the first to rise. "Yukito-san, I better head back home. See you tomorrow at the archery match."  
  
"Bye, Sakura-chan, see you tomorrow."  
  
And Sakura left, with anticipation for tomorrow.  
  
====TBC========== A/N: I'm working on the next chapter now, but I'll just post this chapter up first. Yes, definitely Yue will be back in the next chappie. Because Sakura has to go through her judgement all over again. Now that she knows what's going to happen, will she do things differently? Well, see you in the next chapter...and remember to REVIEW!! Arigatou!!! 


	5. Chapt 6:Reliving The Past

CHAPTER SIX: Reliving the Past  
  
A/N: Sakura's stuck in the past, and she's going to relive her judgment as a Clow card Mistress all over again. Will she be stuck in the past forever, going through her life again till she's back to her present age of 14 years old? Or will there be help somewhere? Could she resist her urge to tell someone what's going on and will that change her past? Heh heh heh, I don't know either....let's see, shall we?  
  
A very big thank you to all the reviewers and readers out there! I wouldn't have gotten the story out so quickly without your support! Thanks for the motivation guys and gals! More review please! More More More!  
  
PREVIOUS CHAPTER: They sat together in comfortable silence. Sakura was the first to rise. "Yukito-san, I better head back home. See you tomorrow at the archery match."  
  
"Bye, Sakura-chan, see you tomorrow."  
  
And Sakura left, with anticipation for tomorrow.  
  
====================================== The next morning, Sakura prepared lunchboxes to bring to the archery match. Though she didn't do the task with as much gusto as she does normally. Part of her was excited to see Yue again, yet dreading the judgment. She really didn't want to fight Yue, but there's no other choice. Of course, she has the confidence to win Yue, having fought and won him in her past. She pushed these unhappy thoughts out of her head and headed for Seijou High, Yukito-san's school, the place where the match is held.  
  
After meeting up with Tomoyo and Syaoran, they sat down where the audience is supposed to sit and watched the match. Tomoyo made some comments on how Yukito and Mizuki sensei were both very good at archery, but Sakura could only nod in silence, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a sense of heaviness in her heart. Tomoyo was so absorbed in the match that for the first time, she missed Sakura's mood. Syaoran was also busy watching Yukito- san, whom he still has a little crush on.  
  
Sakura's POV: Oh Yue, do I really have to fight you? Of course I do, I know, but....How I wish I'm back in the present, where you are starting to warm up to me a little. Though you always try to hide your concern for me behind your cool expressionless façade or nonchalant replies, I know better. You are much more like Yukito-san then you know. Both of you so kind and gentle, but Yukito-san is better at expressing himself than you, that's all. I really miss you so much Yue, it hurts. But soon, soon I'll get to see you again, safe and sound, and that's all that matters to me.  
  
While Sakura were occupied with her thoughts of Yue, the other guardian, Keroberos was watching Mizuki-sensi warily. She suddenly sensed that someone was watching her, and missed her shot, losing the match to Yukito. Tomoyo and Syaoran clapped, and Sakura followed after she snapped out of her thoughts. Yukito soon joined them for lunch, and Sakura tried to act as normal as possible, not wanting to raise suspicions or causing worry among her friends. She was about to take the paper cups when she realized that Kero-chan is gone. "Hoeeee!!" Then she remembered that Kero-chan is having a talk with Mizuki-sensei, and she sighed with relief. They others stared at her strangely, and she just shrugged, smiling sheepishly. The group had a great lunch, and soon everything was consumed. (A/N: Hard to have any leftovers when Yukito's around)  
  
They packed up as the sun dipped down, casting red-orangey rays across the town. Sakura didn't bother looking for Kero-chan this time, knowing that he's ok and will join her soon enough. Once Kero-chan returned to her side, they sensed the last Clow card- Earthy. Without hesitation, she ran behind a nearby tree and changed her key into a staff. Using the sleep card quickly, she put the passer-bys to sleep. Then she summoned Fly and flew to Kero-chan. The ground was starting to crack up, and big chucks of earth shot up from the ground. Ignoring Mizuki-sensei who's still awake as Sakura already know her real identity, she shouted to Tomoyo to stick with the teacher. Mizuki-sensei seemed surprised at this. Sakura remembered that the sensei is not affected by the Earthy, so Tomoyo should be safe with her. She signaled to Kero-chan to follow her as she flew up to the sky, searching for the last Clow card.  
  
Kero-chan shouted, "It's the Earthy!" And Sakura nodded calmly. "Yes, and we have to find it soon." Kero-chan was taken aback at Sakura's calmness, but he focused on helping her trace the whereabouts of the Earthy. "It's there!" Kero-chan pointed out almost at the same time that Sakura discovered it. She swooped down and use the Woody card. In a matter of minutes, the Earthy was overcome and captured. Kero-chan transformed into his original majestic state. Sakura smiled and said, "Welcome back, Keroberos." Kero-chan grinned, "Hey! You recognized me!" Then his expression turned solemn as he blamed himself. "If Earthy is not the last card, I would have regained my powers sooner, and be more of a help in capturing the cards." Sakura hugged him and shook her head, "You have already been a GREAT help! Now, let's go back to the others."  
  
Tomoyo and the rest didn't recognize Kero-chan of course. But they soon caught on after Kero-chan explained things. Tomoyo happily brought out Sakura's new outfit and Syaoran's usual traditional green robe, to commemorate the capturing of all Clow cards. She commented that Kero-chan looked a bit sad, and Sakura kept quiet, knowing fully why he's sad. Kero- chan's worried about me, but he doesn't need to. I won't lose. Sakura thought, as she wrote her name on the last card. Tomoyo asked, "Both Syaoran and Sakura has the Clow cards, so who will be the Master/Mistress?" Kero-chan looked at Mizuki-sensei, while Sakura looked at the still sleeping Yukito. But not for long, for Yukito rose into the air as his body shone with an ethereal white light. The Clow magic seal appeared beneath his body, and white wings sprang forth from his back. They enveloped his entire body, and Yukito was gone, replaced by a being with feathery white wings, long silver hair and cool silver-violet eyes.  
  
Kero-chan exchanged some words with Yue, while Sakura could only stare at Yue with longing and relief. Yue, I'm glad you are alright. I thought I would never see you again after you transferred all your powers to me, to save me. Oh Yue, how I wish I can rush towards you and hug you, but I know how the present you will react. I must be calm and face the judgement. Sakura thought with tears shinning in her eyes. She rubbed a hand over them and took a deep breath.  
  
"So, you two are the candidates for the judgement." Yue walked towards Sakura and cupped her cheeks. He was surprised to see her calm and staring into his eyes with recognition, and......something foreign. But his face was expressionless when he made some cutting remarks to her and Syaoran, pronouncing the start of judgment when he reached the top of Tokyo Tower. Syaoran was first. Sakura already knew what the result would be. She bowed her head. Kero-chan was encouraging her, telling her that she'll definitely be ok. She nodded in silence. She didn't trust herself to speak. Seeing the way Yue had looked at her had affected her more than she expected. He didn't recognize me! I'm nothing but a candidate he must defeat! Of course, what else did I expect anyway? I must concentrate, I mustn't lose this judgement! Sakura finally set her confused thoughts in order as a determined look appeared in her eyes. She's prepared to fight!  
  
Soon, Syaoran was back by her side. He had lost. Sakura felt her mind go blank as her body rose involuntarily to the air. She found herself on top of a tall building, facing the Tokyo tower. Not wanting to prolong this any longer than she can, she focused her energy and willed her Clow staff to change into the Star staff. The night sky rained with shooting stars. Once she did that, she was transported to another dimension, where she met Clow. "Sakura, this is your star power, power that's not from the dark, or the sun or the moon, but your own star power. It may twinkle faintly now, but its light supports itself, and even the smallest star will grow." Clow left Sakura with these words of encouragement before disappearing and transporting her back to the reality.  
  
She used the Windy card to capture Yue, careful not to hurt him in the process. Yue didn't even get the chance to use any magic against her. Yue was shocked and speechless. "How did you???"  
  
Sakura's eyes softened and she walked towards Yue. Her hands reached out and she said gently, "I know I cannot replace Clow, and I never want to be a Master to you, just a friend." Yue was surprised, but soon his expression was replaced with one of quiet resignation. This girl has won fair and square, and the Moon is definitely a fair judge. Moreover, though he didn't want to admit it, he was touched by her kind words. A friend? Nobody had ever wanted to be friends with him before. With his false form, Yukito, yes. But not him, not the cool and unapproachable Yue who keeps everyone at a distance.  
  
He asked Sakura to close her eyes and pronounced her the new mistress of the Clow card. She sighed in relief, and joined her friends who were waiting for her. Mizuki-sensei was pleasantly surprised that she didn't even need to use the Moon Bell, and she smiled happily. Touya, hiding in a quiet corner, saw the whole judgment thing, and was also relieved for Sakura.  
  
Keroberos and Yue transformed back to their false forms and joined Sakura with her friends.  
  
THE END  
  
JUST JOKING!!!!  
  
OKAY, BACK TO THE STORY  
  
Sakura was happy to passed the judgment, but she's now worried about Yue. She knows that Yue needs her power to sustain himself and Yukito's form. But she's still too weak to do that. No, wait a minute, she's not really a fifth grader, so she should have her 14-year old aura. It was the holidays, so she had some time to gather her aura, and to find a way to return to the present as well. Not wanting to be disturbed nor to alert anybody, she would often go to the small forest at the edge of the town to practice her magic. She hoped to regain her original powers, so that Touya doesn't need to transfer his powers to Yue/Yukito. This incident was one of the worst thing she had experienced, the sense of helplessness and guiltiness at not being able to help Yue, Yukito and also causing Touya much suffering. She vowed to herself that it would not happen a second time.  
  
Thinking back, she remembered that once the new terms starts, Eriol-kun will be transferring to her school, and to motivate her in changing the cards into Sakura cards by plotting a series of events. Not wanting to disrupt the history too much, she decided to raise her power first, so that she'll be able to transform the cards with ease later. And also, more importantly, she needs to sustain Yue and Yukito. With a grim expression, she returned back to the task of meditation. (A/N: Sorry, I have absolutely no idea how they increase their powers, so I just thought of meditation)  
  
She hadn't want to bring attention to herself, but as her aura grew stronger, a perceptive guardian noticed energy surging within him, and decided to pay his new Mistress a little visit.  
  
Sitting in the middle of a clearing in the deserted forest, Sakura was deep in concentration in her meditation. Suddenly her attention was distracted by a new presence in the forest. She recognized the aura almost immediately. Sighing inwardly, she thought, "So much for not alerting anyone." Before Yue could announce his arrival, Sakura spoke. "Hello Yue- san. You are looking for me, I think?" Yue flew to her as she stood up and flicked some stray leaves off herself.  
  
"Yes." Yue answered coolly, but his heart was thumping at Sakura's attitude. Why is she so quick to note my presence? And her tone, so soft and...familiar, as if she's speaking to a friend she's known for a long time. Much like how Touya talks to Yukito.  
  
"What is it, Yue-san?" Sakura looked up at Yue, who was levitating a few inches off the ground. She waited patiently for Yue to explain the reason for his visit.  
  
"Your powers are increasing rapidly." He stated.  
  
"Oh." Sakura seemed to take what Yue had said as a compliment. Not sure of how to answer to this rare compliment from Yue, she fell silent.  
  
"Why?" Yue asked simply, being a person with few words.  
  
Sakura didn't know how to answer him. She couldn't tell him the truth, could she? No, Yue can't know, it may change history. Suddenly, her heart grew heavy at the burden of keeping all these secrets in her heart. She can't even touch him!!! Or can she? Her longing was so strong that she acted before her mind registered it.  
  
Taking a tentative step forward, she reached out to lightly stroke him on his cheek. "Yue..." She murmured with tenderness. Yue was too shock to move. His mind was in turmoil. WHAT IS SHE DOING? Touching my cheek so.....so.....tenderly and calling my name in that tone! AND I'M LETTING HER? Why? But.....it feels so comforting. I haven't been touched in years, not including when I was in Yukito's form, of course. Her presence calms me, warms my heart, as much as I try to deny it, I feel....I feel something for her......something that's been buried for so long...ever since...CLOW.  
  
With a jerk, Yue snapped his head backwards, removing Sakura's touch from him effectively. Sakura flinched, but lowered her hands. She sighed sadly.  
  
Did I make her sad by doing that? But what do I care? I don't care for her! I will only perform my duty as her guardian and nothing else! There's only one person I ever cared for, and he's gone.....  
  
Sakura noticed Yue's sad but gentle expression. He must be thinking about Clow-san again. Of course, he still misses him badly. Wanting to console him, Sakura said softly, "Yue-san, you must miss Clow a lot." Yue stared at Sakura with disbelief. How did she know what I was thinking?  
  
As if reading his mind, Sakura continued. "Because you have a gentle expression on your face when you think of him. An expression I almost never see on your face." Yue looked deep into her eyes, and found them full of kindness and understanding. He turned his head away, not sure how he should react to this new discovery about his Mistress. She's not kidding when she said she wants to be friends. Words may be false, but the eyes never lie. Her eyes are filled with the same kindness and understanding when she won me in the judgment. Maybe I can trust her a little. Just a little, though.  
  
Sakura could feel Yue's emotional barriers lowering bit by bit, and she's encouraged. Smiling, she folded her legs beneath her and sank to the ground with fatigue. She's tired from focusing her energy on the meditation since morning, and didn't want to stand for longer then necessary. Soon she'll have to return home as the sun is setting.  
  
Yue frowned when he noticed her tiredness, the way her weary bones creaked when she sat. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Huh?" Sakura was puzzled at the question.  
  
"You look tired."  
  
"I'm alright, don't worry about me." She smiled reassuringly.  
  
Yue stiffened. Why do you lie to me? It's obvious you are exhausted. And of course I'm not worried about you, just doing my duty of a guardian to ensure the well being of my mistress. Wait, could her exhaustion be linked to the surge of power in me recently? Is she tiring herself out from trying to increase her powers? But why? She couldn't possibly know that she has to sustain the Moon guardian and its false form, could she?  
  
Yue glanced at Sakura, and found her lying unconscious on the ground. "Mistress!" He went to her side and tried to wake her. She was out cold. A light snore surfaced from her. Yue relaxed. He shook his head, and decided to let his false form do the job of sending her home.  
  
"Huh? What am I doing here?" Yukito looked around the dark forest in puzzlement. He started to walk a few steps when he noticed Sakura lying on the ground. "Sakura-chan!" After he discovered that she had fallen asleep. He chuckled. "What a place to fall asleep! I better send you home before To- ya gets worried." He lifted Sakura with surprising strength for his frail- looking pale arms and strode out of the forest, heading towards her home.  
  
Inside the body of Yukito, Yue was dreaming.  
  
This is.....Sakura-sama's room. I remember it from Yukito's memory. What am I doing here? A movement in the bed caught his eye. Someone is there?  
  
That teenage girl, she looks so much like Mistress, only older. She seems sick, shivering and moving restlessly in bed. Huh? Tears? Why is she crying?  
  
Someone's walking into the room.....ME? That person looks exactly like me! What in the world?  
  
Hey! What do you think you are doing? Yue exclaimed as he saw 'himself' stroking the girl's cheeks and wiping away her tears. But the person who looks like him in the dream ignored his question. Then 'he' leaned forward and was about to kiss her when Keroberos appeared and shouted something happily.  
  
Then the scene shifted as Yue sees 'himself' alone with the Sakura-look- alike. 'He' was unbuttoning her top. Yue's eyes popped out in alarm. "HEY STOP THAT!!! WHAT AM I DOING? I mean, what is HE doing?" Yue tried to avert his eyes, but he couldn't move an inch. He was trapped in this dream, forced to watch 'himself' doing these unspeakable acts to a defenseless girl who resembles Sakura so much. Little did he know that 'he' was just being helpful and changing Sakura out of her wet clothes to prevent her from getting worse.  
  
Yue sighed with relief when he noticed the other 'him' dressing the girl back in a pajamas top, but his relief was short-lived. He nearly burst when he saw 'himself' taking off her skirt. "OH MY GOD! PLEASE DON'T LET THIS GO ON..." Unfortunately, nobody heard Yue's pleas. Soon her skirt came off and Yue's eyes were involuntarily drawn to her exposed legs. He gulped, and......  
  
And Yue woke up. He was sweating mentally in Yukito's body. "What in the world was that dream???" His usual calm self was shattered as he remembered the dream he just had vividly.  
  
The next day, Yue could sense Sakura's aura in the forest again. Yes, her powers are definitely growing. But when he saw her again through Yukito's eyes, he frowned. Yukito had been invited to Sakura's house for dinner, and so Yue was able to 'see' his mistress. He noticed that she seem more tired than yesterday, and he was concerned. Though she tried to cover her tiredness with cheerful smiles, Yue could see through them as forced. He decided to have a talk with Keroberos to find out more about this puzzling situation.  
  
When Yukito left Sakura's home after dinner, Yue took over immediately. He flew to Sakura's room and peered inside. Seeing only Keroberos (in his false form) playing video games and nobody else in the room, Yue flew in through the open window. "Keroberos, follow me outside, we need to talk." Without waiting for a reply, he left Sakura's room and waited for the other guardian to follow him. Faintly, Yue could hear Keroberos cursing lightly. "WHAT DO YOU WANT!! I'm nearly completing the game ya know?" Keroberos glared at Yue angrily as his tiny wings flapped impatiently.  
  
"This is not the place to talk." Yue took off gracefully into the air and headed for Yukito's house. He tossed a glance back to make sure Keroberos was following him. Satisfied that he was, Yue landed on Yukito's roof and waited.  
  
Keroberos huffed a little before he demanded. "OK NOW YOU CAN TALK RIGHT?"  
  
"You noticed anything wrong with our Mistress recently?" Yue asked solemnly. (A/N: Heck, he's always solemn anyway...)  
  
"Now that you mention it, yes. Her powers are increasing daily. I told you she's worthy to be the Clow cards mistress." Kero smirked.  
  
"And that's ALL you noticed?" Yue replied coldly.  
  
"Of course not! She behaving a little strangely, always going out shopping and getting snacks for me, but hey, who's ever complain of having extra food eh?"  
  
"All you can think about is food!! Are you not her guardian? Didn't you notice her tiredness? Did you really think she's really shopping EVERYDAY like she tells you?" Yue finally exploded. Not the red-in-the-face kind of explosion, but a cold-till-your-bones-are-chilled type.  
  
"Huh? Yes, she does seem more tired than usual, but she told me that's because shopping is actually a pretty strenuous activity...hey what do you mean? Do you think she's lying about her shopping? Why would she want to do that? If she's not shopping, then what does she do everyday outside???" Kero scratched his head in bewilderment.  
  
Yue sighed, and wondered again why he had such a dense fellow-guardian. "I saw her in the forest, meditating, trying to increase her powers. In fact, I think she's there everyday since she became our mistress."  
  
Kero's eyes widened in surprise. "But why would she want to hide this from me? I could have helped her! It's a good thing she's so hardworking...wait a minute! Why is she trying so hard to increase her powers? Did something happen?"  
  
"Precisely. NOW you get my question. Why, why is she doing this? And to the point of exhaustion! Didn't you see the dark rings under her eyes, how she had grew thinner, and how she drags herself when she walks?" Yue said with a barely suppressed impatience in his voice.  
  
"Huh? YOU noticed all that?" Kero gave Yue a suspicious look.  
  
Yue folded his arms across his chest and replied nonchalantly, "Hey, I see all that through Yukito's eyes, he's concern about Sakura, not like someone I know." It's at these times that I appreciate having Yukito as a false form.  
  
Kero decided to ignore the jibe Yue made, and sank into deep thoughts himself. Ya, now that Yue mentions it, Sakura really does seem more tired nowadays. But why would she push herself so hard? She must be hiding something from us! I will find out from her as soon as I can. With a resolved look, Kero promised Yue that he would ask Sakura what's going on. Yue nodded with satisfaction.  
  
"SA-KU-RA!" Kero-chan flew at Sakura when she entered her bedroom.  
  
"Huh? What's wrong Kero-chan?"  
  
"Why don't YOU tell me what's wrong." Kero-chan asked seriously.  
  
Oh-oh, I can smell trouble coming. Sakura thought worriedly as Kero advanced towards her.  
  
====TBC==== A/N: So, how do you find this chapter? Pretty long huh? I spent the entire night getting it done. My mum's getting suspicious of all the dark eye rings beneath my eyes too. But ANYTHING for Yue and Sakura!! Ok, please do review, looking forward to it really!! Zzzzzzzzzzzz must sleep now zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 


	6. Chapt 7:Truth and True Feelings

CHAPTER SEVEN: Truth and True Feelings  
  
A/N: Should Sakura remained in her past? Deep down in her mind, she had always felt guilty about not being able to sustain Yue/Yukito when she was changing the Clow cards into the Sakura cards. She also felt regret towards Touya, who had to give up his powers to Yue/Yukito. Maybe that's why the time dimension twisted and she ended up trapped in her fifth-grade life and body. After all, the cards do respond to their Mistress's heart and wishes. Will the future change because of her actions? Every little thing could result in a large different in the complex equation of destiny, like a small stone causing a tiny ripple that spreads to create more ripples in a pond. Why can't Eriol stop time to save Sakura? Or is this just .... Destiny?  
  
Hey, sorry for all the rambling, but I'm trying to get a feel of the chapter before I write it. Heh heh heh, as usual, all reviews are much appreciated, and any ideas are very welcomed!  
  
PREVIOUS CHAPTER:  
  
"SA-KU-RA!" Kero-chan flew at Sakura when she entered her bedroom.  
  
"Huh? What's wrong Kero-chan?"  
  
"Why don't YOU tell me what's wrong." Kero-chan asked seriously.  
  
Oh-oh, I can smell trouble coming. Sakura thought worriedly as Kero advanced towards her.  
  
Chapter Seven: Truth and True Feelings  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about, Kero-chan!"  
  
"SA-KU-RA! Don't give me that! I know something's wrong with you! Why are you always so tired nowadays? Why are you forcing yourself to the limit, trying to increase your powers? Is there a threat that you feel, why don't you just confide in me?" Question after question shot out of Kero-chan's mouth, while he flails his stuffed paws in frustration.  
  
There was a moment of silence while Kero-chan tried to catch his breath. Sakura brows drew together, and her lips curved downwards. With a troubled look on her pale face, she was struggling within her turbulent mind.  
  
Oh Kero-chan, how I wish I could just tell you the truth! But I really don't know how it would affect the future. But.....actually I believe that I'm already changing the future by increasing my powers forcefully, and my goal IS to change the fate of Onni-chan. I don't want him to sacrifice his powers because I'm too weak to sustain Yue and Yukito-san! So, I guess.....I guess I should just tell Kero-chan the truth.....  
  
"Kero-chan, please calm down. I have something to tell you, but you've got to promise NOT to tell anyone else. OK?" Sakura raised solemn eyes to Kero- chan's and waited for his reply.  
  
"OF COURSE, I promise. Now, please tell me what's bothering you." Kero-chan nodded and settled down on the edge of Sakura's desk, sensing it's going to be a long talk.  
  
Sakura gulped and started. "I'm from the future, and......" She was rudely interrupted by Kero-chan. "WHAT?" Sakura glared at him, "If you would just like me continue?" Kero-chan sighed impatiently and gestured for her to carry on. Trying to be as precise and straight-to-the-point as possible, Sakura related all the events that resulted her ending up in the past. Luckily, there were no more interruptions from Kero-chan, so she managed to explain everything in a fairly short time.  
  
"I see. But I still don't understand why you are forcing yourself to raise your powers rapidly." Kero-chan inquired.  
  
"I can't tell you too much about the future; it may change things. All I can say is that I know Yue and Yukito-san needs my power to sustain them, and that's why I've been pushing myself a little nowadays." Sakura hoped that this answer would satisfy Kero-chan.  
  
"I see, ok, I understand. But don't tire yourself out okay? You must also take time to rest. You look really exhausted." Kero-chan said with concern.  
  
Sakura smiled, "Thanks, I will." Then she turned serious and said, "Kero- chan, please promise me again that you won't tell anyone, especially Yue."  
  
He hesitated before promising Sakura that. She heaved a sigh of relief, and relaxed. "Kero-chan! You have no idea how much I wanted to talk to someone about this!! But I was so worried! Well, I'm still worried, but I guess everything will turn out alright in the end!"  
  
Kero-chan grinned, glad that Sakura is still her optimistic self. But his smile faded when Sakura said, "Now that I don't have to pretend I'm going shopping anymore, I won't be getting you any more snacks when I go for my meditation!" She had a mischievous glint in her eye, and smirked.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Sakura-sama! Please please please buy me snacks!" Kero-chan pleaded shamelessly, while Sakura just hummed a tune and ignored him. She felt her heart lift, and for the first night since she was back in the past, she had a dreamless and restful sleep.  
  
However, a few miles from Sakura, someone was not sleeping so well.  
  
Moonlight shone through the windows into a traditionally Japanese decorated bedroom, casting its glow on a young motionless form on a futon. Yukito-san was deep in slumber, but in the back of his sleeping mind, Yue was thinking about his new mistress.  
  
Sakura, what are you up to? Is there some new danger? But I don't sense any. Why are you driving yourself so hard to raise your magic? Is it because you are simply power-hungry? No. You are not that type of person. Or....did you know that we guardians need your power as fuel to live? No, you can't know that, unless, Keroberos told you. But I suspect he didn't. Then, why?  
  
Also, the strange dream that I had the other night. What does it means? Is it a prediction of the future? I'm so confused. Ever since Sakura became my new mistress, my mind has been clouded with many foreign emotions. I don't like this. I don't want to feel this way; it impairs my perception. I think I'll just retreat to the back of Yukito's mind and join him in sleep. And tomorrow, tomorrow I will get some answers from Keroberos.  
  
The next morning was uneventful, as Sakura did her share of chores before proceeding to the forest for her usual meditation. Touya was working part- time and Fujitaka had gone off for a couple of days for an out-of-town seminar. The house was silent, except for the occasional cheering or grunts of frustration from Kero-chan, who was playing a new video game. He was so absorbed in getting to the next stage of the game that he jumped in fright when someone got into Sakura's room.  
  
"Keroberos." Yue had come through the window, and was now hovering a few inches off the floor next to Sakura's bed.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!! Don't scare me like that Yue!" Kero-chan wailed. He got even louder when the TV screen showed 'Game Over'. Sighing sadly, like a puppy that got kicked in the rain, he turned to Yue.  
  
"What is it Yue!!! I almost got to the next stage, stage 43!! I spent the whole morning on it and now! Game over! Are you happy? Huh? You some kind of sadist?" Kero-chan rambled on and on, venting his frustration on Yue. But Yue just looks at him with those unfathomable eyes and simply waited for Kero to calm down by himself. After 10 minutes of crying bloody murder, Kero-chan finally stopped and looked at Yue inquiringly.  
  
"It's about our Mistress. Did you talk to her?" Yue asked simply.  
  
"Yes! Er, I mean no....." Kero-chan bit his lips as he recalled his promise to Sakura not to tell anyone the truth.  
  
Yue raise his eyebrows and stared pointedly at Kero-chan. Kero-chan cracked a nervous smile and averted from Yue's eyes.  
  
"Keroberos, you have always been such a lousy liar." Yue said in a mocking tone.  
  
"Hey! Who said I was lying! Is keeping a promise considered lying huh? Ah, I mean....well....." Kero-chan had blurted out more than he intended to. Yue smirked inwardly, satisfied that his taunt has managed to get to Keroberos. Ever patient, Yue waited for Kero-chan to spill it all out. He folded his arms and and gave a look at Kero-chan, as if to say 'I won't be leaving till you answer my question.'  
  
Giving a frustrated cry as Kero-chan struggled with himself, he finally lost to his ever-talkative nature. Besides, Yue has a right to know, being Sakura's other guardian. But Kero-chan decided to just tell Yue a little, not everything Sakura has told him.  
  
"Sakura came from the future, to the past to right a mistake she made. She knows she has to sustain us through her fledging powers, so she's trying so hard to increase them. That explains why she's so tired all the time."  
  
Yue was confused. "Then what happened to the present Sakura?"  
  
Kero-chan shook his head. "Apparently, something went wrong with the time dimension, and she ended up in her fifth-grade body instead."  
  
"And what mistake did she make?" Yue asked further.  
  
"I can't tell you that. And don't ask anymore, cuz I already broke my promise to Sakura. She's afraid that telling others the details of their future will change the past. We both know how unstable the 'Return' is, and how delicate the timeline is." Kero-chan replied solemnly.  
  
Yue nodded, and left the house. He soared high up into the clear blue skies, his mind clouded with questions. Why did Sakura come back? When did she come back? Is that why she won me in the judgement so easily? Because she already knew what will happen? That would explain why she wasn't shocked when I transform from Yukito to my real form. And, and the familiar way she treats me, as if we have known each other for a long time.  
  
Is this all fate? All predestined? I feel like a puppet that has no control over anything. Clow didn't care to ask me how I feel too. He just planned everything and we are just to follow them. To be sealed in a book till the cardcaptor candidates are chosen by Keroberos. And I, Yue, as the judge, am to determine who is worthy to be the new Master. No matter that I didn't want a new master. No, my feelings aren't important, I just have to perform my duty. That's all I am really, a tool to Clow's plans. I'm so sick of it all. Why, why do you treat me so, Clow? I...I loved you...  
  
Unshed tears shone in his silver orbs flecked with violet. But they didn't fall. They stayed in his sad eyes, like the turmoil that remained in his heart all these years. Conflict between love for Clow, and hating him for dying, for leaving him to carry out his plans. He felt as if his heart is torn in two directions. It hurts every waking moment, but he has long learned to hide his feelings behind a pair of seemingly emotionless eyes and expressionless face. "And I call Keroberos a liar." Yue thought with a wry smile. He spread his white-feathered wings and started to fly back to Yukito's house.  
  
The clear skies were suddenly darkened with thick grey clouds, signaling an impending storm. Sakura barely had time to snap out of her meditation when a drizzle turned quickly into a downpour, and she was soaked to the skin in no time. She ran out of the forest, trying to avoid the puddles that are forming rapidly in the muddy ground. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Sakura slipped on a wet patch and fell forward. Her head hit a small rock embedded in the grass, and she was out cold. The rain was merciless as it continued merrily, heavy fat drops beating on the unconscious form lying facedown in the isolated forest.  
  
Yue was nearing Yukito's house when he sensed Sakura's aura cut off abruptly. He zapped to the forest, to the spot where Sakura usually meditate. A mile off her usual spot, he saw her. Terror that he didn't know he is capable of feeling seized his heart. Despite swearing to just perform his duty as a guardian and not feel anything else, he couldn't help but be absurdly frightened by Sakura's unconscious form. Pushing these emotions aside, he swooped down to her side. "Mistress?" There was no answer, just as he expected, she was unconscious. Despite the heavy downpour obstructing his view, something caught his eye. Streaks of red were trailing from her forehead to the watery ground. Got to attend to her wound and out of the rain first, Yue thought with the calm he didn't feel. He gathered her in his arms and searched for a shelter nearby. To his surprise, luck was on his side, and a small cave was just a stone's throw away.  
  
The cave was not small as Yue first perceived; it was tiny, just enough space for the two of them. As a result, Yue had to let Sakura's head lay on his lap, as there wasn't enough space for a full body stretch. He tried to staunch the flow of blood from her wound and to his relief, it was a fairly easy task. Then he tore a small white strap from the edge of his robe as a bandage. Carefully and gently, he wrapped it around Sakura's head wound. As his cool hands brush over Sakura's forehead, she shivered. Concerned, he checked her temperature and his hands jolted in alarm. She was freezing! He frowned, not knowing what to do. Sakura curled up in a ball as she tried to in futile to keep herself warmer. "Mistress?" Yue became aware of her movements and wondered if she is awake. Again, silence was his only reply. He let out a soft sigh, and then mentally berated himself for not thinking of it sooner. He conjured a ball of fire and let it float in front of himself and Sakura, a safe distance away. It seemed to help as Sakura's tensed body relaxed and she stop shivering.  
  
"Yue.....I'm sorry." Sakura mumbled unconsciously. Yue was startled. Her eyes were still closed. Is she having a dream? Yue thought. Sakura continued with her mumbling. "Yue...I miss you..."  
  
Yue stilled. But the next words that came out of Sakura's mouth were even more shocking. "Yue....I love you....don't leave me...."  
  
And then there was just the sound of the pelting rain and the sound of heavy breathing. For the first time in his entire existence, he had to gasp for air, feeling like he has flew a few hundred miles non-stop.  
  
What??? She....she LOVES me? But nobody ever does! Why? From the way she behaves around Yukito, I would have thought that she likes Yukito. But she loves me? Yue was totally befuddled. He looked down at Sakura with a wonder in his eyes.  
  
No! She's just confused. That's it. The hit on her head must have affected her thinking. She doesn't know what's she talking about.  
  
Yue calmed, convinced that Sakura was just talking rubbish. But his heart beat faster when she snuggled her face into his well-toned stomach with a sigh of contentment.  
  
Yue didn't dare to move, no, he couldn't move. His mind was blank, and blood rushed up to his head. Though his face remained pale, his ears blushed to its tips. Sakura stirred, and her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Huh? Where am I.....Hoeeeeee!!!" Suddenly she realized she was lying in Yue's lap and her whole face flushed red. She sat up and apologized profusely. "Yue-san! Gomen!! I didn't know, ah, I, SORRY!!!" Her head bowed as she didn't dare to look up at Yue.  
  
"You...feel better?" Yue asked softly.  
  
"Oh! Yes! I guess I just tripped and bang my head on something hard. No problem!" She rubbed her forehead and found the bandage. "What's this?"  
  
"Your head was bleeding from the fall." Yue stated flatly, betraying none of the emotions he felt.  
  
"Ah, you helped me bandage the wound? Arigatou." Sakura beamed at Yue, happy that he's so concern about her. He gave a curt nod. Sakura cringed at his cold response. Yue saw her flinched and felt guilty for a fleeting moment. They remained in awkward silence. Sakura stood up when the rain stopped.  
  
"Let's go....argh!" She stumbled on a piece of rock in the cave and fell backwards. Expecting the cold hard ground to receive her fall, she was surprised to feel two strong arms coming round her waist. She twisted around and felt her ears burn when she found herself in Yue's embrace. Her head tilted up as Yue's bent down, and their lips accidentally brushed together briefly. The shock in her emerald-green eyes were reflected in Yue's silver ones. Both felt a jolt of electricity coursing through their bodies. The walls of the cave seem to close around them, pushing their trembling bodies together. Sakura's breath came out in a whoosh, and Yue could feel its warm tickling his chill lips. They eyes remained locked together in a shared intimate gaze that neither was able to break.  
  
In a trance, Sakura felt herself drowning in those silver pools of Yue's. Acting on her instincts, Sakura tiptoed and pressed her rosy lips to Yue's pale ones. She half-expected him to draw back, but he didn't. He froze for a moment, before he threw caution to the wind. His pent-up passion flooded out and he deepened the kiss with a slant of his lips. Sakura was in heaven. She poured her all longing and love into this one kiss, wishing it would never end. Her soul lifted and her heart fluttered, beating its wings in the cage of her chest.  
  
Yue's arms lifted Sakura off the ground, supporting her entire weight. Her head went dizzy with delight. She wrapped her arms around Yue's waist, hands curled on his back. Their noses rubbed together lovingly, while their lips melted each other's hearts like chocolate left in the sun.  
  
The cave suddenly seemed too hot as their bodies heated in the passionate kiss. The hurt Yue felt for so long disappeared as warmth crept into his frozen heart. A thought sneaked into Yue's mind- This is where I belong. For the first time, his insecurities faded away, leaving a wonderful feeling of being loved. Sakura however, have a strange fleeting thought- His kiss.... tastes like Yukito-san's.....  
  
They finally broke apart reluctantly to catch their breaths. Sakura realized that she had made the first move and shyly duck her head down, hiding on Yue's chest. Yue was silent, but he loosened one of his arms from Sakura's waist to stroke her hair tenderly. They remained in this position for some time, both not wanting to leave each other's embrace.  
  
Yue had doubts about his actions, about kissing his mistress, but he has no regrets. Even if she were to abandon him the next moment, he would have this memory with him for the rest of his miserable existence. He could no longer deny his feelings, strange as they were. After Clow died, he had been so sure he would never love again, but he's wrong. Though the love he felt for Sakura is not as strong as what he had felt for Clow, it's a spark. And a spark can grow to be a raging fire. A budding love, fragile, sweet and beautiful. Like a rosebud that's starting to bloom, the scent tantalizing yet fresh with innocence. He looked down at his new love, and sighed in happiness for the first time since Clow died.  
  
Sakura heard him sigh and mistaken it for regret. She struggled out of his hug and turned away. With a sob and tears threatening to fall from her eyes, she said to Yue. "I'm sorry....if you are offended by my kiss...I'll just leave." And she took a quick step forward, intending to run back home as fast as she can. A hand gripped hers, swinging her to face its owner. Yue cupped her cheeks gently, and saw her tear-filled eyes. He sighed again.  
  
"Mistress, I don't regret it. You don't have to leave."  
  
Sakura seems offended for a moment. "Sakura, please call me Sakura."  
  
Yue hesitated. But he accepted her request. After all, they had just kissed, and he didn't want to upset her anymore.  
  
"Sa-ku-ra." The word seemed foreign and he had to force it out.  
  
Sakura mouth curved upwards, and she looked at Yue. She finally saw his true feelings for her, for he had lowered his barriers to show her what he felt. There was no need for words. Sakura knew that she loved Yue more than he love her now, but she has hope, and every confidence that their love will grow. They came out of the cave hand-in-hand, into the sunshine.  
  
Suddenly, Sakura's head whirled and a black hole emerged, wrenching her out of Yue's hold. "Yue!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed, as she was sucked into the darkness. Yue dashed forward and tried to follow, but he was repelled. The word that he seemed to have difficulty saying aloud moments ago flowed freely from his lips now. "SAKURA!!!!!!!!"  
  
=====TBC=====  
  
A/N: A cliffhanger. Hah hah hah! Aren't I evil! Bet you thought Yue and Sakura was going to live happily-ever-after when they kissed huh? But I did bring you the long-awaited and promised KISSING scene between Yue and Sakura! Review! And in case you are wondering why the kiss between Yue + Sakura is so...er..chaste compared to Yukito + Sakura, PLEASE REMEMBER that when Yukito kissed Sakura, she was fourteen! And when Sakura kissed Yue, she's only 11! OK! I'm not sick enough to imagine an 11-year old French- kissing and caressing Yue all right! Actually I CAN BE sick enough to do that, but since this is not rated, I better not, heh heh heh.....  
  
Please review! I need reviews to motivate me! Please please please! Thank you kind sirs and madams! 


	7. Chapt 8:Crossroads

CHAPTER EIGHT: CROSSROADS

A/N: Thank you all sooooooooooooo much for the wonderfully kind and generous comments!!! And especially to Lau for some ideas on the fic! You guys/gals can't believe how much your reviews are motivating me!! Really thank u!

The plot thickens. More dream scenes. I know I know, you must simply hate me for separating Yue from Sakura AGAIN, so I won't. They will be together from now on ok!!! Well, at least they will STILL be together in this chapter…………..

For those of you who like Yukito and would like to see him back in the fic, don't worry, he's back!!! 

OKOKOK, let the show begin!!!

Suddenly, Sakura's head whirled and a black hole emerged, wrenching her out of Yue's hold. "Yue!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed, as she was sucked into the darkness. Yue dashed forward and tried to follow, but he was repelled. The word that he seemed to have difficulty saying aloud moments ago flowed freely from his lips now. "SAKURA!!!!!!!!"

In the nick of time, Yue managed to gather his wits to use the 'Time' card and freeze the dark hole from sucking Sakura in. Sakura jumped out of the darkness into his arms, sobbing in fright. "I thought I'd lose you again!!!" Yue was a little puzzled at the word, 'again', but he let it pass, more concerned about Sakura's safety. He crushed her to him, as if he never wants to let go. A slight tremor went through his body as his mind registered just how close he'd nearly come to losing her. His heart had stopped when Sakura disappeared into the darkness for a moment, and now it started beating again. Still, the time card can't hold off the dark hole forever. Soon, the Clow magic lost its effect, and the hole doubled in size and efforts to suck them into it. Despite struggling against the magnetic pull of the void, they were helpless against its power. Yue was holding on tightly to Sakura as they were swallowed into the darkness, and he felt his body jolt with pain as he went through a barrier that had repelled him earlier. He fainted.

Sakura didn't feel pain, but her head was heavy, like she's underwater. She shook the feeling off, and looked around her new surroundings. Surprised to find that instead of the complete darkness she dreaded, it was dotted with many glowing doors. She looked down and saw herself to float in what seems nothingness. Lights twinkled below her feet, much like miniatures of the glowing doors she saw all around her. Her eye caught a white flash of fabric. 

"Yukito-san???" She exclaimed with shock. Yue had retreated to the back of Yukito's mind when he fainted, and his false form had taken over. 

Yukito shook his head, his short silver-grey hair tousled. His pants-clad legs struggled to stand up as he took in this amazing place he's in with astonishment. "Sakura-chan? Where am I?" 

Sakura couldn't possibly tell him the truth, since he doesn't know the existence of Yue yet. "Ah……….ah ha! This is a dream." She smiled weakly, hoping that he would believe her lame reply.

"Of course! How else can I end up in such a place right?" He nodded in acceptance and his smooth slender hands adjusted the glasses on his face absent-mindedly. Sakura sweatdropped. _Yukito-san is so trusting. But I wonder where we are really? And I hope Yue will come back soon, cuz I don't know how long Yukito-san will keep on believing that this is a dream. _

Out of the blue, a familiar voice reached out to Sakura. "Sakura-chan! Can you hear me? It's Eriol." 

"Eriol! Where are you? What happened? Do you know where I am now?" Sakura called out to the darkness, not seeing Eriol anywhere. 

"I'm still in the present. When you used the 'Return' card, there was a twist in the time dimension, and that's why you didn't manage to go back to where you intended to. I used my magic to try and retrieve you back. I believe you are now in between time, in a place called Time Limbo. Do you see many doors?"

"Yes! What do I do now?" Sakura continued conversing with an unseen Eriol, while a puzzled Yukito just listened on with interrupting. 

"You have to choose one of the doors to go through. But if you go through the wrong door, you may end up in a unknown dimension, and never come back to the present again. I'll be sending my aura out now, look out for the door that emits my aura!"

"Wait! There's a problem…………Yukito-san is with me here." 

"WHAT??!!! You mean he got through the time hole too! God, we must return him to his time or our future may be totally warped!" Eriol usual calm demeanor was gone now. Such was the seriousness of the situation. 

"But I don't know which door goes back to his time! And……eh, another problem."

"Don't tell me you've got Kero-chan, Tomoyo-san and the whole gang there with you." Eriol asked in a dead-serious voice, but obviously joking. (A/N: Eriol just can't be serious for long……oh well.)

Sakura giggled. "Of course NOT!! But I am now in my fifth-grade body, so I don't know if I should return to my present. I mean, if I do, then I'll be missing in the past right?" 

"This is worse than having the whole gang with you. I suspect the time warp tore your mind from your fourteen-year old body, and cast it into your fifth-grade's body. Now we've got to find your older body, which could be lying around ANYWHERE for all I know. IF you don't find it soon, it may be useless. A body without a soul soon rots. Or a ghost might take over your body"

"HOEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" Sakura screamed at the image of herself rotting, and then went white as sheet at another image of a ghost possessing her.  

"Calm down!!! I'm just pulling your leg! Your body is with me, here in our present time. Don't worry." Eriol chuckled evilly. 

"Hey that's not funny Eriol-kun!!" After Sakura finished fuming, she said seriously. "I wonder what happened to my fifth-grade mind…………."

"You silly girl, it's sleeping inside you, don't worry, it'll wake when you leave its body. All that had happened when you took over will come back to her in dreams." Eriol reassured Sakura soothingly. 

"Whew, for a moment there I thought you were gonna to say something like- A mind without a body soon rots." Sakura sniggered. 

"Ok, now I've got to find the right door for Yukito to go through, wait." Eriol was silent as he focused his energy. There was a ripple in the air and bright flash of light when Yue woke and transformed back to himself. 

"Yue!" Sakura rushed forward and hugged him. He smiled slightly and returned her hug, putting one arm protectively around her shoulders. Then he asked, "Who is Eriol?" 

Sakura fidgeted uncomfortably, not sure how to answer him. 

"Hello Yue-san, my name is Eriol and I'm a friend of Sakura's. I'll help you return to your present time, while Sakura returns to hers." 

Yue's eyes narrowed as he sensed an aura that feels awfully like Clow's. "Why do you have Clow's aura? That can't be! He's dead!" He demanded.

Eriol laughed quietly. He had forgotten how perceptive and sensitive Yue is. "I can't answer your question truthfully, for it will change the future. But I assure you, soon you will get your reply." Yue mouth tightened, not satisfied with this answer. 

_How is this possible? Clow's gone! I saw that with my own eyes, with Keroberos! Why does this person named Eriol have Clow's aura? I don't understand……….but I'll find out. _

Eriol, worried that Yue will spoil his past plans in helping Sakura change the Clow cards into Sakura cards, spoke directly into Sakura's mind. 

_"Sakura-chan, I'm afraid Yue is already starting to suspect my real identity. So as not to affect the future, I need to seal part of his memory, the memory that he met me. Is it alright with you?"_

"Hai, Eriol-kun. And I don't think I'll be going back to my present time yet." Sakura eyes burned with determination. 

"Why?" Eriol asked curiously. 

Sakura cast an uneasy glance at Yue, who had an impassive look on his face. She didn't know how to answer Eriol without revealing the future, about how Touya sacrificed his powers to save Yue and Yukito. 

"Eriol-kun, just trust me. There's something I need to do when I was in fifth-grade that I didn't fulfill, and my heart has been filled with regret ever since."

There was a moment of silence, then, "I understand, Sakura-chan. Do what you have to. But try not to change the other events of the past. Perhaps, this time warp was destined to be…….." Eriol scratched his chin thoughtfully. He suspected the reason Sakura wanted to stay in the past has something to do with Touya and Yue, and since she has the chance to erase her regrets, which is truly rare, she should grab it. "I will keep your body safe till you're back. Take care, Sakura-chan. Now, Yue-san and you should focus your thoughts on getting back to the time you are a fifth-grader again. Then you should be able to see the door through that time glowing more than the others." 

"Arigatou, Eriol-kun. You take care too."  With that parting sentence, Sakura and Yue focused on getting through the right door. There was a burst of green light from one of the doors, and they walked through it together. Eriol used his magic to seal part of Yue's memory before they left the Time Limbo. They found themselves in the forest; just outside the cave they had came out of a while ago. Sakura heaved a sigh of relief. Yue was quiet, feeling that he has left something behind but not sure what. 

Sakura was glad that Yue seemed to have forgotten about Eriol, and she happily suggested they return back to their respective homes. Yue nodded in agreement, and Sakura was about to step forward when she was lifted up in Yue's arms, who flew up to the sky. "It's faster this way." He said in a monotone. Sakura smiled, cuddled closer to Yue, and settled in for the flight home. 

"Sakura!!! Are you hurt?" Kero-chan was surprised to see Sakura in Yue's arms as they flew through the window into her room. 

"No, I'm fine." Sakura unwind her arms from Yue's neck and sat down on her bed. Yue glanced at her and bid a quick farewell, taking off the same way he came into the room. 

"But why did Yue fly you home then? Hey! There's a bandage on your forehead! You ARE hurt!" Kero-chan fussed over Sakura and circled her, checking for other injuries.

"I'm all right Kero-chan! Just slipped and fell in the forest when it rained just now. Luckily Yue came and………." She reddened when she recalled the kiss they had in the cave. 

Seeing the flush on her face, Kero-chan concluded that she's sick. "You must have caught a cold in the rain! Wait, I'll get some medicine for you, ne?" He hurried out to the medical cabinet. 

Sakura changed out of her muddy and wet clothes, and lie on her bed. She fell asleep without knowing it. 

=======In Sakura's Dream=========

_Cold…..…I feel so cold._ Sakura's arms wrapped around herself automatically. _Where am I?_ She was in a tent of some sort. There were twinkling stars all round her. _Stars?_ On a closer look, they appeared to be man-made. It looks a lot like the one that Yukito and herself had been in, in the school fair. The one in which she had confessed her love for Yukito-san, and he had told her that she loves him like a family-member. _Why am I dreaming of the past?_ Sakura wondered, as she took a step backward and bumped into something warm. 

_Yukito-san! _He smiled down at her. _What are you doing here? _He bends down to kiss her, and Sakura was shocked. _Hoeeeeeeeee!!!! What is Yukito-san kissing me!!! _She hurriedly broke away from the kiss, and steadied her thundering heat beats. 

_I thought he rejected me! I mean, he's supposed to reject me! I definitely remember him telling me that I don't love him in a romantic way. I also recall telling him I don't mind that his best friend is Onni-chan, because I love Onni-chan too. And now! Why is this happening? I don't understand! _

Yukito's eyes were sad as Sakura took another step away from him. "Sakura-chan, don't you love me?" He asked softly, giving her a heart-breaking smile. 

_What? I……………I……….I don't know! I love Yue! But…….I can't deny my feelings for Yukito-san as well…………but how can I love two people at the same time! But are they really two people? _

There was a flash of white light before two feathery wings appeared and wrapped Yukito-san in them. When the white wings folded back, Yue was looking at her with an intensely passionate expression in his eyes. He asked in a more solemn tone then ever, "Yes, don't you love Yukito? Who do you love, really?" 

_Yue! Who do I love? I……..I………_

A rush of pain in her head caused Sakura to kneel, as she clenched a fistful of honey-brown hair in frustration. Images of Yukito-san and Yue kissing her clashed together, causing confusion in her mind. And the dream she had of Yue, Yukito and Kero-chan when she was down with fever came back to her. She recalled Kero-chan's words, "Sakura, you must choose. If you can't decide, you could lose Yue or Yukito."

_Is this it? That I must choose between loving Yue and Yukito-san? But I love them both! If I don't make a decision, I will lose either one of them? How? Why? _

As if reflecting the turmoil in her heart, the ground below her swirled and she looked up to find herself alone. "YUE!!!!!!! YUKITO-SAN!!!!" She cried out in distress.

=======End of Sakura's Dream=========

"SA-KU-RA!" Kero-chan shook her awake, he had dashed into the room when her screams alerted him. 

"Huh? Where am I?" Sakura's mind was still trapped in the remnants of her dream, and her head was throbbing.

"You are in your room! Did you have a nightmare?" Kero-chan asked in concern.

"Oh! I……I had a weird dream. Daijoubu!" She tried to assure him with a cheerful smile. Kero-chan gave her a strange look, but decided not to pursue further. 

She got out of bed quickly and glanced at the clock. 4.30pm. Still some time before Touya gets home. Seeing that the weather was pretty good after the rain had stopped, she decided to take a walk to clear her head. "I'm taking a walk, Kero-chan." 

"But you are not feeling well right? Your head is still in bandages!" Kero-chan protested.

Sakura went to her mirror and took down the white strap. She studied her wound. It was just a small cut, and she put a pink-colored band-aid over it after applying some lotion. "There! Nothing serious, not to worry!" She looked at the bloodstained strap in her hand, and put it in her drawer, not knowing why she didn't just throw it away.

_Maybe I just want it as a token to remember our first kiss. _She thought wistfully, before giving her hair a few brushes and heading out of the house. 

The sun was setting, and the skies were colored with warm orangey rays. It was beautiful, and Sakura stared into the distance as she stopped walking to admire the scene. 

_How beautiful. Though the sunset is nice to enjoy, I prefer the moon-lit sky on a cloudless night. The moon is mesmerizing, and it has always held enchantment for me since I'm a little girl. Yue. Is it any wonder that I love you? But what of the strange dream? Do I truly have to choose between you and Yukito-san? _

_Now that my mind is not clouded with confusion, I can think clearly. And I think, I think I love………… _

_ERIOL?_

====TBC====

A/N: Hahahahaha, I'm just so cruel to leave you hanging there right!! Tell me what you think! REVIEW Pls!!! 


	8. Chapt 9: Revelations

A/N: Will Sakura be able to figure things out? In case you are wondering about the stupid dreams Sakura had, it's just something to force her to listen to her heart and not her head. She has always thought of Yukito and Yue as two separate people, hence her idea of dividing them into two bodies. But it's wrong, she's wrong. It's her own confusion that's causing her a headache. Though she's gradually coming to accept that Yue and Yukito are essentially the same, with one heart. Two different personalities, yes, but one heart. The heart that loves Sakura! 

For your info, I'm basing the sequence of scenes and cards that Sakura changes on the TV series, not on the Manga. 

**CHAPTER NINE: Revelations**

_ERIOL?_

A strong purple magical aura clouded her senses suddenly, wiping all thoughts of Yue and Yukito from her mind. 

_Eriol-kun! I sense his presence very near! And Ruby Moon's and Spinel Sun's! Oh, now I remember, he'll be in my class when the new term starts. I bet he's just curious to see me. After all, this is the first time he's meeting me. Hee hee, but he doesn't know that I come from the future and knows all about him already! This is going to be interesting. _

Sakura giggled to herself, but her face paled when she remembered something frightening.

"Hoeeeeeeeeee!!! Today is the last day of holiday! And I have not even BEGIN doing my homework! Oh no!!!" She rushed home, as three figures stood in the shadows, looking at her retreating back. The shortest of the three smiled as his sapphire-blue eyes twinkled. 

Sakura begged, persuaded and finally bribed Kero-chan with sweets before he agreed to help her with the pile of untouched homework. They worked through the night, and finally, just before midnight, managed to complete all the holiday assignments. They sank into an exhausted heap on the bed and slept. The next morning, Sakura woke up earlier than usual, because it's her turn to take care of the classroom and some chores. 

She happily bladed to school, and met Yukito on her way. To her delight, instead of seeming sleepy, as would have been if she didn't increase her powers, Yukito seems energetic. And he was carrying a normal-sized lunchbox instead of his usual large paper bag of food. Sakura was glad that Yukito and Yue don't have to suffer the feeling of fading day by day. She vowed with renewed determination to be stronger, no matter what.

"Ohayo, Yukito-san!" 

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" 

"Yukito-san, how are you feeling today?" Sakura asked, wanting to be sure that he's really all right and not pretending so that she won't worry.

"Great! At the start of the holidays I felt a little tired sometimes, but as the days go by, I feel better and more energetic! Almost as if someone is feeding me without I knowing it!" Yukito-san said jokingly, not knowing how true his words are. Yue, however knew better. At the back of Yukito's mind, he smiled wryly.

_You don't know how hard Sakura has to train to make you, no, US feel better and more energetic. And at what expense? I see her smile, but the shadows of fatigue are clouding her usual clear emerald-green eyes. My heart aches, but I know this can't be helped. Why do I have to be so helpless! I wish there's some way I can make her feel better………….._

"That's great Yukito-san!" Sakura smile grew wider and more brilliant. 

"But you seems tired, Sakura-chan." Yukito-san stared into her eyes with much concern.

"Oh! It's nothing! I just forgot to do my homework till yesterday, and I had to rush through them till late in the night. Dai-jou-bu!" 

Yukito nodded, but appeared somewhat unconvinced. Sakura looked at her watch and said, "I got to go! Today's my turn to do classroom duty! Ja-ne~" She turned to leave.

"Sakura-chan!" Yukito called out to her as he tossed her a sweet. She caught it and waved good-bye. There was a shadow of aura in the sweet. Surprised, she focused, and could feel Yue's silver aura washing over her in concern. "Dai-jou-bu, Yue, thank you too." Sakura smiled in joy. She was starting to think that no matter what form Yue and Yukito is in, they both have the same kind heart, the one that she loves. _I think my dream was reflecting my confusion, trying to tell me to accept that both of you are the one and the same, and to love one, is to love another. I don't have to choose, I just have to follow my heart. And my heart is with you, always. _

And in the back of Yukito's mind, Yue was thinking, _this is all I can do for you, my Sakura. _Yukito couldn't hear Yue's thoughts, but he too, was starting to feel something special for Sakura, something that wasn't there before. He had always thought of her as a younger sister, the sister of his best friend Touya. But ever since that rainy day where he found himself in wet clothes and not knowing where the past few hours had gone to, something changed. It was as if something important happened, but he didn't know what. Though his mind drew up a blank on what he did in the last few hours, all he could think of was Sakura's sweet face. Her angelic smile, and captivating bright-green eyes. She's making him feel more alive than ever by just being there. 

=======**In school**=======

Sakura reached her classroom and hummed happily, before remembering that Syaoran is here too. She called out a cheerful greeting and they did the chores together. Syaoran told her that he's leaving soon, because he has to go back to Hong Kong to report what happened to the Clow cards to his mother. Sakura nodded, fully aware that he would change his mind later in the day, though she still doesn't know the reason. But Syaoran seemed sad, so Sakura cheered him up by saying, "It's not like we'll never see each other again right! We will definitely meet again huh?" Syaoran seemed to cheer up a little. 

Syaoran was not the only unhappy one, as Tomoyo entered the classroom with a sigh. "Tomoyo! Ohayo! What's wrong?" 

Tomoyo went told Sakura in a seriously sad tone that she can't see Sakura in the costumes she made anymore, since all the Clow cards are collected. Sakura sweatdropped. 

The teacher soon arrived and everyone settled back into their seats. He introduced a new student to the class. Sakura looked up to see Eriol, and she was so happy to see him that she barely manages to hid a smile. She has to pretend that she's never met him before; otherwise there would be lots of explaining to do. Eriol was assigned to sit beside Syaoran, who was sitting behind Sakura. On his way to his assigned seat, Eriol stopped to greet Sakura. She wasn't caught unaware this time, so she politely returned his greeting, trying to stop her mouth from smiling. 

During lunch break, Sakura sat alone, replying Mizuki-sensei's letter. When she thinks of Mizuki-sensei, she remembers her shock of discovering that Eriol sent her with the moon bell to help her during Yue's judgment. Unknowingly, she spoke Eriol's name aloud. 

"Are you calling me?" Eriol smiled gently at Sakura, who jumped a little in fright. She quickly recovered and replied. "No, I was just thinking about something aloud."

Eriol's put on a worried look, and he asked. "Am I disturbing you? It seems that you are writing a letter."

Sakura kept the letter back in her pocket and invited Eriol to sit down. Out of habit, she said, "No, of course not Eriol-kun, please sit down." Then she realized that she had called him by his first name, and apologized. 

"It's all right, please do call me Eriol, as long as I can call you Sakura-chan." 

"Hai!" Sakura was glad to see Eriol, no matter that he's going to plan some weird events to force her hand in changing the Clow cards. She was prepared this time. 

Eriol engaged in some small talk, but his mind was distracted. _She seems to know me already. How? And her aura is so much stronger than I expected. I was surprised she didn't need the moon bell for her second chance during Yue's judgment, but she far exceeds my expectations. Well, anyway, this would make things more interesting. _

School ended soon, and Syaoran, Tomoyo and Sakura walked back home together. Syaoran suddenly announced that he won't be going back to Hong Kong yet, and Sakura was delighted. _I'm glad this part of the past remained the same, though I still don't know why Syaoran changed his mind. Anyway, I'm really happy to have him here!_ Sakura thought, as she smiled happily at a blushing Syaoran. They spotted an ice-cream stand, and Sakura went to buy some for the three of them. She had just handed the ice-creams to Tomoyo and Syaoran when hers was grabbed out of her hand. Without turning around, she could sense Touya's aura. "ONNI-CHAN!!" Man, some things really never change, like the Onni-chan who always likes to bully her. 

Her heart sped up when she saw Yukito-san. Seeing Yukito-san is almost equal to seeing Yue, and she's so happy that she grinned like she won lottery. "Yukito-san!" 

He chided Touya for snatching away Sakura's ice-cream, but Touya seemed distracted, as if looking for someone. Yukito went to buy another ice-cream for Sakura, while she just looked on dreamily. She tensed when she felt another aura, but relaxed in the next second when she realized it was Ruby Moon's. _Ah, I haven't seen Ruby Moon for a long time now; I always missed her energetic and cheerful smiles. _Sakura thought, as Ruby Moon appeared behind Touya and introduced herself. She hugged Sakura tightly and she returned her hug in kind. Ruby Moon seemed rather surprised, but still kept a smile on her face. As usual, her attention span is short, and her eyes darted to Yukito as she shot him a sly smile secretly. 

Nobody noticed the look, except for Sakura. She was no longer as clueless as she was, and as her powers grew, she was also more perceptive. Especially when Ruby Moon's aura flared and grew a little hostile towards Yukito. And Yue. Sakura was shocked; she had never imagined Ruby Moon to feel this way towards Yukito or Yue. All the while, she had thought that Ruby Moon was just doing her duty as Eriol's guardian in carrying his plans. But why would Ruby Moon feel hostile towards Yukito or Yue? Sakura decided to keep her eyes open when Ruby Moon's around, just in case. She honestly doesn't want any harm to come to Yue and Yukito, though she suspects that Ruby Moon probably wouldn't hurt them. Still, the nagging feeling that Ruby Moon's hiding something………..Sakura was surprised at herself for being suspicious at her friend. _Why, I shouldn't think of Ruby Moon this way! I'm sure I'm just mistaken. But then, why can't I shake off the feeling that there's something going on behind my back? _

Sakura didn't realize that she's maturing at a faster pace ever since she returned to the past. All that has happened, clearing her own confusion about whom she really loves and training to improve her magic has forced her to grow up. She still has a pure and kind heart, but her innocence is chipping away bit by bit. 

Yue was thinking along the same lines as Sakura, though he has no doubts that Ruby Moon is indeed hiding something. He too, decided to keep a look-out and observe her. However, Yukito was oblivious to everything. 

On her way home, something else was nagging at the back of Sakura's mind. Yukito-san. 

_Yukito-san still doesn't know about Yue, or does he? I know he would feel sad when he discovers the truth, but he has to know sooner or later. And I hope that when he knows the truth, he can love me like I love him and Yue too. I've got to talk to Yue about this soon. Yue's not too good at expressing himself, and I don't want him to be too brash in his words when he reveals himself to Yukito-san. It's really strange how the same heart can have such extremely different personalities. But I love both their personalities. And I believe the saying that 'Love conquers all'. I will help Yukito-san to get through this rough patch, just like I would protect Yue from all danger and harm. _

When she reached home, she was going to tidy up her room when out of the blue, she felt like taking a look at the Clow book. Once she touched the magic book, she was thrown into another dimension as Clow spoke to her. "Sorry Sakura, I believe I'll be bringing you some trouble from now on." Then she was brought back into reality. She looked at the clow book and found the words 'Sakura' on them. This all seems so familiar, of course, for she had experienced this before. Kero-chan flew beside her to examine the book. Suddenly, they both detected an aura, and they followed it. 

It was rainy cats and dogs, but only in the town of Tomoeda. Tomoyo was informed, and as to be expected, she brought a new costume for Sakura to wear. Tomoyo was so happy to film Sakura in her hand-made costume that she grew all dot-eyed. Sakura took out her star-key, and changed it into a staff using a new chant. Kero-chan and Tomoyo looked at her in surprise. She cracked a nervous smile and explained, "I just thought that a new key should have a new chant, that's all. Luckily it worked!" Kero-chan remembered that Sakura already knew the past and kept quiet, while Tomoyo had stars in her eyes again. "Oh Sakura-chan is so smart! Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!"

Sakura thought she felt Eriol's aura, but it disappeared as he hid it. _Eriol-kun is really good, I didn't fully appreciate the way he planned everything and hide his true self from us before. But now I do, ever since I came back to the past and had to do some hiding of my own. Keeping the truth from those you love, from your friends, is really a burden. I feel can virtually feel my shoulders sagging beneath the weight sometimes. Eriol-kun, is this what you felt too? I think this back-to-the-future experience has taught me many things, and helped me to understand you better. All right, now I've got to concentrate and rid this rain. _

Her thoughts ended when a large jet of water aimed at her. The water nearly got her, but Yue came just in time to carry her out of harm's way. "Yue!" Sakura was happy to in his arms once again. She missed him, though she just saw him yesterday. Yue tried to hide his smile, but his happiness at seeing Sakura and touching her shone through his silver eyes. Then they grew serious as more water flew at them.

"Kero-chan! Take care of Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura shouted, concerned about the safety of her friend. Kero transformed and spread his wings to protect himself and Tomoyo. 

Sakura focused on the task on hand. Still in the air with Yue, she took out the Firey. "Cards created by Clow, I order you to give up your old appearance and be reborn. You have to obey your new mistress, Sakura. Release!" And the Clow card transformed into a Sakura card. "Firey!" The spirit burned and dried up the rain as it flew towards the sky. 

Sakura whipped her head as she tried to trace Eriol's aura, but gave up when she remembered that he didn't want to be revealed till all cards has been changed. Yue and Kero-chan approached Sakura, and saw that she's alright. She doesn't even seem tired. Her powers have grown much. Tomoyo aimed her video-cam at Sakura and asked curiously, "Sakura-chan, how did you know you have to change the Clow card into Sakura card?" 

"Er, well, since the Clow book has my name on it now, and the staff is also a star instead of the old symbol, I figured the cards got to be changed to work as well." She replied nervously, hoping Tomoyo will believe her and leave it at that. 

Tomoyo nodded, but she had a thoughtful look on her face. She cast another long look at Sakura before bidding farewell. Sakura didn't relax till Tomoyo was out of sight. 

"Whew, I thought she'd be suspicious!" 

Kero-chan scratched his head in puzzlement. "Why don't you tell her? I mean, you don't need to go into details, just say that you are from the future."

"Do you think she'll accept that? She's bound to want details! Knowing Tomoyo-chan, she'll probably even ask me what are the designs of the costumes I am going to wear in the coming battles!"

"That reminds me, do you know who's causing the rain? And what are the coming battles?" Kero-chan enquired. 

"I can't tell you that. All I can say is that we got to deal with all these strange events till all the Clow cards are transformed into Sakura cards." 

"Oh! You mean the person who caused this rain is helping us?" Kero-chan enthused. But Sakura just shook her head and kept mum. She can't tell her guardians anymore; for fear that the future will change too much. Moreover, Kero-chan would just sit back and relax if he knows Eriol is helping them, and that he's the reincarnation of their old master. With a start, Sakura wondered if Yue would blame her from keeping this from him. Yue might want to be with Eriol instead of herself. But Eriol already has Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. But, but………..she shook her head in confusion. 

Yue seems to sense her uneasiness and suggested that Kero-chan be quiet and not asks so many questions. Kero got mad at Yue and starting bickering with him. Yue just gave him the silent treatment, while keeping an eye on Sakura, who had her head bowed. She suddenly stopped Kero-chan's bickering by saying, "You guys go back first; I want to be alone." And she walked off, leaving Kero-chan's stunned and Yue even more concerned. 

"What's wrong with Sakura?" Kero-chan asked Yue, having got over his anger finally. Yue shrugged, but his eyes followed Sakura. He wanted to catch up with her, but respected her privacy. "I'm going off." Yue took off into the night-sky.

"Fine! Ignore me! Just leave me alone too!" Kero-chan grumbled as he transformed in his smaller form and flew back to Sakura's house. 

Sakura had forgotten about Eriol, who had heard the entire conversation that she had with the two guardians after Tomoyo left them. After Sakura had quickly dispelled the rain he created with her Firey, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun had lost interest and returned home, leaving Eriol staring at Sakura and the others. Eriol had been suspicious for a while, and decided to hang around to see if he could gather any information. To his amazement, he heard Kero-chan say that Sakura was from the future. And Sakura's reply confirmed what he guessed earlier in school this morning; she did really know him. After the two guardians left, he followed Sakura and approached her silently. He wasn't surprised when she called out to him without turning around.

"Eriol-kun, it's you isn't it." She sighed, as she had wanted to be alone to clear her thoughts. 

"Sakura-chan. I overheard something interesting in the park just now." Eriol stated, and waited for her reaction. Sakura froze. He smiled infuriatingly, "Gotcha." 

Sakura hesitated for a moment before she chose not to pretend she doesn't know what's Eriol's talking about. Eriol has always been the most perceptive among her friends, and she doesn't think that a lame reply will be accepted. 

"So you know everything now?" Sakura said with wearily, she faced Eriol with a resigned look on her face.

"No, not everything, just that you are from the future." Eriol took in her expression and his eyes softened. He sensed that she needed support rather than someone demanding answers. Taking her small hands into his, he smiled gently. "But if you don't want to talk about it, it's ok. Whatever makes you comfortable." 

Sakura sobbed and threw herself into Eriol's arms. He patted her back and murmured soothingly. After she calmed, she draw herself out of his embrace and took a deep breath. "I'm fine now, arigatou." 

"I think you would be able to find out anyway, being the Eriol-kun I know. So I guess I should just tell you." And she did. Starting from her idea of dividing Yue and Yukito into two separate entities, to the mess-up in the spell, to the disappearance of Yue. And her goals to save Yue, as well as helping Touya keep his powers. Things that she didn't even thought of telling Kero-chan spilled out of her like water. Eriol just had that comforting presence that she knows she can trust and rely on. 

Eriol had listened attentively, nodded at appropriate intervals. When Sakura finished talking, he spoke.

"So, we are very good friends in the future?" 

Sakura grinned in reply. "VERY good friends. But this time, don't wait for two years before coming to Japan to visit me." She punched his arm lightly. 

"Hai hai, I promise." Eriol was happy, and from her tale, he sensed that his plans were in order. Well, he should say that Clow's plans were in order, for it seemed that Sakura has fallen for Yue and the feeling is mutual.

As if reading his thoughts, Sakura said, "I'm worried about Yue and Yukito. Yukito doesn't know about Yue, I think. And Yue……….I'm afraid he'd be angry when he knows I'm keeping the truth about you from him. He loves Clow-san, and hard as it's to admit, I know he still loves Clow-san, more than he loves me." She hung her head as another tear fell from her eye. 

She sniffed and continued. "What if he doesn't want me to be his mistress? Would it be better for him to be with you?" 

"No!" Eriol protested. "I'm not Clow, even though I have his memories. I am my own person. You understand that, don't you?" 

As Sakura lifted her head, she caught a look of sadness and loneliness in Eriol's azure eyes. She hugged him tightly, as she finally understands what he's going through.

_Poor Eriol, he's carrying so many burdens on his shoulders, having to carry out the plans of his former self. Yet, like he said, he is his own person. But being responsible, he has to follow these plans through, when he could have lived a carefree life. I always thought that his smiles were gentle, but now I sense the sadness and loneliness behind them. I feel sorry for him. He comforts and helps those around him, but who comforts him? Who can understand the real him, seeing behind the smiling mask and accepting the real Eriol? Not the reincarnation of the great magician Clow, but his own person, the young heart of Eriol?_

"Eriol-kun, you can always confide in me if you need to talk to someone. I'll always be here to listen. Don't bottle everything inside, it will hurt more. I know, because I was hurting, and luckily I have wonderful friends who care about me, like you." Sakura's hands stroked Eriol's short dark hair kindly. Eriol let down his emotional barriers for a moment to rest his chin on her head, and seek comfort in her arms for the first time in his life. He felt his heart grew lighter as his soul lifted in joy in finding a confidante. Then he stepped back and smiled, a genuinely warm smile. 

"Arigatou, Sakura-chan." 

"You are welcome, Eriol-kun." She smiled, glad to dispel some of the sadness in his heart.  

"But, Eriol-kun, do you think I should tell Yue the truth? I'm afraid he'll be angry with me if I don't." 

"No, I don't think now's the time. Moreover, Yue can never stay angry at the person he loves for long, so don't worry too much." Sakura flushed red. 

"You should focus on changing the Clow cards into Sakura cards, and also gaining your magic to sustain Yue and Yukito's existence. I will help you in the training, but you'll have to keep it a secret. What do you normally do to increase your powers?" 

Sakura described her meditation methods, while Eriol made some suggestions. But soon Sakura had to go home as it was getting really late. Eriol proposed that they both pretend they don't know each other that well in school so as not to raise suspicions and unnecessary questions. Sakura agreed readily. She promised to do her best in meeting the challenges that Eriol will set for her in changing the Clow cards into Sakura cards, and they parted ways. Unknown to both of them, the future is already shifting……………..

TBC

A/N: Comments please!!! I thought that I could examine the emotions behind the characters for this chapter, something which is hard to see from the TV series. Just so you are wondering, I don't have the CCS manga. And besides Yue/Yukito and Sakura, I have always like Eriol too. Ok, REVIEW please!!! I'm thinking of adding a new character in the next chapter, but haven't decided who yet! Any suggestions?? Either state in your review or email me at kath_windy@yahoo.com! Thanks a million!!


	9. Chapt 10: New Emotions

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! I'm really happy that you all are enjoying my ficcie. And sorry for the delay in updates, because sometimes I just can't get my chapters uploaded on fanfiction.net. Site overload or something. 

This chapter is rather emotional, as I look into the feelings of each main character. And expect some fluff as well, but I'm not going to tell you now between who and whom. Heh heh heh. 

I kind of feel sad for Touya, cuz it's pretty obvious now that Yukito only loves Sakura. But this story revolving mainly round Yue, Yukito and Sakura, I'm afraid Touya has to take a side seat. Don't worry! I'm sure Ruby Moon will be more than happy to join him in the side-seat. *Evil grin*

Touya: Nooooooooooooo, please don't leave me at the mercy of the lioness! And lunatic! 

Ruby Moon: WHO are you calling a lioness and lunatic huh? I'll show you crazy……*mumbles and dragged Touya off somewhere by his collar*

Yukito: Gomen, To-ya………… *sobs and waves a white hanky in the air* Bye……..

Touya fading screams: You guys are heartless!!! arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Authoress: I regret to censor the following that happened to Touya as it's just too cruel for young innocent eyes……*shudders*

CHAPTER TEN: NEW EMOTIONS

"Master, you seem happy, something good happened?" Spinel asked curiously. Eriol gave his a mysterious smile. His thoughts were on a certain green-eyed girl, who had touched his heart with her kind words and hug just now. 

_Sakura, you are much more than I expect you to be. Strong-willed but gentle at heart, kind and understanding. You are my other reincarnated half's daughter, so I've always felt tenderness towards you. You are really one-of-a-kind, a precious gem that I wish to treasure and protect always. But I know I can't protect you as much as I wish, and I'm grateful that Yue's by your side. _

_Yue. From Clow's memories, you loved Clow with all your heart. But Clow couldn't return your feelings; he loves you like he love his own child. He had hoped that his plans would assure your happiness, and it seems all is going well. I truly hope you will find the happiness you deserve, and I'm confident Sakura will be the one to give you that peace and joy you seek._

_But Clow couldn't predict everything. He didn't expect……………he didn't expect his reincarnated self to fall in love with Sakura. In fact, I didn't think I would too. I mean, how would an old soul trapped in a child's body ever find the right person to love? _

_Love is strange; it grabs hold of you at the oddest moments, catching you unaware, till you are helpless but to succumb to it. Yes, I think I'm falling for you, my dear, sweet Sakura-chan. _

Eriol closed his cerulean eyes and laid back on his large red sofa-chair. Sighing, his last thought before he fell asleep was, _fate likes to play cruel jokes. _

And in the future, an older Eriol was dreaming of the past. He saw how Sakura comforted his younger self, her kind words and promise to be his confidante. And his feelings changed. The older Eriol was experiencing some mixed emotions from the dream. Understanding the dream showed scenes from the past, the past that Sakura is currently in, he shook his head. "Sakura-chan, you really changed the future, you know. What I felt for you before you returned to the past is so different now. I still feel the same tenderness and affection towards you that I felt before, but now, I also have a stronger emotion – LOVE. Not the friend-kind but the romantic-kind. Oh dear, this is such a tangled web……….." He looked down at Sakura's body, the fourteen year-old one that seems to be sleeping peacefully. "What do I do with this burning love I have for you now?" His whisper was tortured, his smile bittersweet. 

Back in the past, Sakura, with her newfound understanding of Eriol and renewed promise of friendship, discovered a new bond she feels towards Eriol. The kind, responsible and caring boy who always understands and supports her no matter what happens. She too, feels something new stirring in her heart. 

A brand new morning arrives, and since it's Saturday, Sakura had a longer sleep. She wasn't as exhausted as she felt when she first tried to raise her powers, but still a little tired. Especially since she arrived home late last night after talking to Eriol for a long time. Kero-chan was already sleeping like a pig and snoring soundly when she got back. Having a heavy load of her mind after confiding in Eriol, she hummed happily as she went downstairs to prepare breakfast. She hadn't had such a good appetite since she returned to the past. Even Touya didn't want to spoil her good mood by teasing her, glad that her spirits have picked up. He had been secretly worried about Sakura recently, and was glad she seems happier now. 

Tomoyo had invited Sakura to her house for some costumes fitting, and she had accepted. Kero-chan wanted to join, of course, for Tomoyo always served good snacks when they visit. But surprisingly, Tomoyo had requested that Sakura come alone, giving the reason that she had some 'girl-talk' to do. Kero-chan pouted and nearly went into a tantrum until a large amount of sweets and desserts were promised. 

Sakura got to Tomoyo's house in the afternoon, and she was ushered in quickly. "Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo greeted her happily, her lavender eyes glimmering with joy. 

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura waved. They chattered and reached Tomoyo's room. She closed the door and waited for the snacks and drinks to arrive before getting to the topic she wanted to talk to Sakura about. 

"Sakura-chan, we are good friends right?" Tomoyo looked at Sakura earnestly. 

"Of course Tomoyo-chan! What's wrong? Are you in some kind of trouble?" Sakura asked in a worried tone. 

"I'm happy you are concerned about me, but no, I'm not in any trouble." Tomoyo took a deep breath and launched her questions.

"But are you? Are you in any trouble, Sakura-chan? I feel that you have something weighing on your mind since the day before Yukito-san's archery match. If I can help you with anything, please don't hesitate to tell me!" Tomoyo took Sakura's hands in hers and stared deep into her bright green eyes. 

"I……..I……Arigatou, Tomoyo-chan." Sakura was touched. She lowered her head as she felt guilty for not telling her best friend the truth. Tears fell as she warred internally, not knowing whether she should tell Tomoyo, yet wanting very much to tell her because of her kindness and caring offer to help. 

Tomoyo was startled when Sakura cried, and she drew Sakura into a warm embrace. Her pale hands caressed Sakura's back in a comforting motion. 

_Oh, Sakura, I didn't mean to make you cry! Is it so hard for you to approach me, to confide in me? No matter what it is, I will always help you, support you, and love you. Yes, I love you, ever since you offered me your easer in fourth grade, and your kind gesture bound my heart to yours. What happened to you, Sakura? You were always so cheerful, but since that day, there's been a sadness lurking within the depths of your beautiful emerald-green eyes. Sadness that I wish to erase for you, to share with you if you allow me to. But you didn't. Your brave smiles, assuring replies didn't convince me that you are really all right. I know, I know you are suffering, why don't you let me help you? I will do anything for you, don't you know that? Even die for you, if I have to. As long as you are happy, I'll be happy and contented to just be by your side. Your happiness is mine, so is your sadness. My heart is breaking from the shadows that lie beneath your tired eyes, as you become thinner and more worn-out day by day. Please Sakura, please let me help you. _

Tomoyo's hand crept up to Sakura's head as she patted her affectionately. She pressed her lips onto her luxurious honey-brown tresses, breathing in the cherry-blossom scent that never fails to give her delight. She longed to kiss away Sakura's tears, but since her tear-streaked face was still snuggled on her shoulder, Tomoyo can't see how she could manage to do that. Even if she could, she probably wouldn't, not wanting to alarm Sakura with her inappropriate actions between friends. Yes, friends, and that's all they are. That's all Tomoyo is contented to be, as long as Sakura's happy. 

Sakura's cries faded into sniffs, and she made up her mind to tell Tomoyo what happened. _It doesn't matter anyway, since Yue, Kero-chan and Eriol already know. And I won't tell her about HER future, just what brought me back and what I have to do before I return to my time. _

Again, she related the events that led her back to the past, and the time warp that caused her to get stuck in her fifth-grade body and life. Sakura also confided in Tomoyo her real goal here, to grow in her magic till it's enough to sustain Yue and Yukito-san. So that Touya doesn't need to sacrifice his powers. 

Tomoyo had listened quietly, but she brought up something that Sakura hadn't thought of. "When you return to your time, would your fifth-grade aura still be as strong as you have trained it to be? Or will it revert back to level before you came? 

Sakura's eyes widened with horror. _That's right! Why didn't I think of this? If it reverts back to how it was before I took over, then……..then Yue and Yukito-san will be in trouble! I can't risk that! That means………..that means I'm stuck here, to relive my life for another three years before I grow to my original age of fourteen! God! I must tell Eriol about this or he'll be worried! _

"Tomoyo-chan, thank you for reminding me of such a crucial point! I better contact Eriol-kun my time to ask him about this." 

Tomoyo was surprised at how familiar Sakura is with Eriol-kun, but decide that now's not the time to ask her about this, seeing how worried she is. Tomoyo kept the questions in her mind. 

_In the future…………are you a couple with Eriol-san? He seems fairly nice, gentle and mature, but I thought you love Yukito-san? Or, did something happen to change your mind? Hmm……….poor Li-kun, you've got serious competition now. I wonder how Li's relationship with Sakura is like in the future. Maybe even closer to her than Eriol-san huh? And how about myself? Am I still friends with Sakura, by her side? I couldn't bear it if I'm not. I think I would rather die than not be friends with Sakura. _

Meanwhile, Sakura was oblivious to everything except for focusing on locating Eriol's aura in the future. It's probably futile, what with one younger Eriol here now in Japan, disrupting her search. Something clicked in Sakura's mind as she thought of an idea. "That's it! I'm sure the Eriol-kun of NOW will know what to do! Gomen, Tomoyo-chan, I've got to leave now, see you tomorrow at school! And thanks again for lending me your shoulder!" 

Tomoyo saw Sakura out of her house with a sad expression on her face, as she whispered, "Sorry Sakura-chan, sorry that I can't be of much help, no matter how much I wish I could." 

Sakura was half-way to Eriol's house when she remembered about Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. _Eriol-kun wouldn't want his guardians to know about this, I think. I'd better contact him before dashing to his house unannounced. Now, what's his phone number…….._

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she bumped into someone and stumbled. A hand caught hers and steadied her. "Yukito-san!" Sakura was pleasantly surprised to see him.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Yukito asked with concern reflecting in his amber eyes. 

"Hai! Daijoubu! Arigatou, Yukito-san! Where are you going?" 

He smiled cheerfully and replied, "I'm going for lunch! Are you free? Do you want to join me?" 

Sakura made a quick decision, "Yes, of course!" and she thought, _I'll call Eriol after lunch. I won't be going back to the future any time soon, anyway._

Yukito suggested getting some food and going to the park for a picnic, to which Sakura readily agreed. And she would have agreed to have lunch with Yukito in the flames of hell if he had asked her to. 

They got some delicious gourmet pastries at a nearby deli before choosing a nice quiet spot to have their picnic at the park. It was a wonderful cloudless, sunny day, the perfect day for outdoor activities. Basking in the warm of the sun's rays, they enjoyed each other's company very much. Sakura suddenly thought of telling Yukito about Yue existence, thinking this would be a good time to prepare him for the truth. She pondered over her words, wondering how to break it to him. Should it be subtle hints or………..

Unknown to her, Yukito was also thinking about telling Sakura something. About his growing feelings for her. He didn't want to scare her by professing his love out of the blue, but this was such a good chance. Gathering his courage, Yukito placed his hand over Sakura's and stared deep into her eyes. 

"Huh? Yukito-san?" She jerked a little when she felt his hand close over hers. 

"Sakura-chan………I have something to tell you." He murmured amorously. She gulped, not knowing what Yukito wants to tell her, but heart thumping in anticipation. 

"You are an extraordinary person, Sakura-chan. I like you very much, and I think I will like you even more in the future. You hold a very special and dear place in my heart, one that nobody can replace. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Yukito decided to go with the gentle approach, as Sakura is still very young. He doesn't mind waiting for her, no matter how many years it take. But he wants to know what she feels about him. His thumb rubbed over a spot on Sakura's smooth hand tenderly.

Sakura's heart soared at Yukito-san's confession. She was exhilarated that like Yue, Yukito-san returns her feelings. She had wondered about it, of course, and now that she got a confirmation, she felt happiness descending upon her and wrapping around her in a cloak of tender-loving warmth. She was so touched that tears were choking in her throat. Not trusting herself to speak, she embraced Yukito, arms tight around him, hoping her actions could reply his question. 

_She returns my feelings for her? Yes, I can feel love radiating from her hug, but dare I believe it's for me? Why do I get the feeling that this has happened before? That's strange……….._

Sakura's next actions took Yukito's mind off his doubts. She lifted her head and placed her lips on his. He blinked, wishing it's real but thinking that it's a dream. Her hands snaked its way up to his silvery hair, and got tangled there as she drew him closer. He returned her kiss, but drew back when something nagged at him in the back of his mind. 

Yue was furious. He still believes Yukito to be his false form, and was in a rage that Sakura, _his Sakura, _was kissing Yukito. And the nerve of Yukito to return her kiss! Glancing around through Yukito's eyes to make sure there's nobody near, he transformed. 

"Huh?" Sakura eyes popped open when Yukito stepped away from her and a bright light enveloped his entire form. White wings sprang from his back and closed around him. Then, Yue appeared, with a barely suppressed angry expression on his face. 

"Yue?" Sakura was bewildered. 

"Why are you kissing Yukito?" Yue demanded before he could stop himself. He knew he had no right to question his mistress in any way, especially not in this rough tone, but he just couldn't help it. His anger was clouding his judgment and getting the better of him. 

"Because I love him, of course." Sakura replied simply, not understanding that Yue believed himself to be separate from Yukito. 

He drew in a sharp breath, and he gave Sakura a hurt look. Understanding finally dawned on her, and just in time, for Yue spread his wings and was going to change back into Yukito to fulfill his _mistress_ wishes. 

"Wait, Yue! I love Yuki like I love you! To me, you are both the same, two minds sharing the same body and born of the same heart. To love Yuki is to love you, and to love you is to love Yuki, because both of you are one in my heart." Sakura proclaimed sincerely, grabbing on to Yue's hands in case he escapes. 

Yue was stunned. He struggled within, with the fact that Sakura has presented in the few simple words she said. Simple words, but words that hold the wealth of truth that resonate in his mind. And finally, he accepted it. Because he knew Sakura wouldn't lie to him, and because deep inside, he had always known this truth, but had simply rejected it. He sighed in acceptance and held Sakura's hands to his lips, kissing them in apology.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura."

"No, Yue, you don't have to apologize. As long as you understand now, it's okay." Sakura cuddled up to Yue, glad that he's finally seen the light. She frowned as Yukito broke into her thoughts.

"What about Yuki? He doesn't know about you yet, right?" 

"No."

"You've got to let him know! Please, Yue, break the truth to him as gently as you can, onegai." Sakura pleaded. 

"I'll try." Yue promised. 

"Okay, and do let him know SOON. It's not fair to him otherwise………Remember to tell him that I love him, like I love you. I think it'll help." Sakura suggested and wondered how Yue is going to handle things. He nodded. Suddenly Sakura sensed some people coming in their direction, and she suggested that Yue transform back into Yukito. He complied, but not before placing a sweet, warm kiss on Sakura's lips. "Goodbye, my love." Sakura smiled, happiness shining in her eyes, as this is the first time Yue has called her so intimately. 

Yukito appeared as Yue retreated into the back of his mind. "Huh? I thought I was sitting down on the grass?" He scratched his head in puzzlement. Sakura cracked a nervous smile. Yukito looked down at her and his eyes softened, recalling the kiss they had shared. Sakura flushed, and looked flustered. _I'd forgotten I made the first move again! Argh! Would Yuki think that I'm too forward? He doesn't know I'm actually fourteen years old. Hoeeeeeee!_

Sakura's thoughts were interrupted by a gentle caress on her cheek, and she looked up to see Yukito smiling at her. She swallowed her nervousness; she doesn't know why she always felt so shy in front of Yukito. Maybe she never fell out of the crush she had on him. But any how, she needs to make her feelings known to Yukito. Sakura spoke in a trembling voice, "I like you very much too, and I think…….NO, I KNOW I love you." There, she's managed to get the words out. She let out the breath she didn't know she's been holding. Yukito beamed, overjoyed. He was so happy that his arms lifted Sakura and began to swing her in the air, circling and laughing. Sakura squealed in surprise, then laughed too. 

Sakura had forgotten about looking for Eriol till later that night, when she was preparing for bed. _I'll look for him tomorrow, after I get something for Yuki. _She had decided to get something for Yukito as an encouragement, knowing how much of a blow the truth will be when Yue reveals it all. The next morning, she went shopping, searching for the perfect gift to express her feelings. And in the display-window of a quaint little shop, she found it. It was a round-faced watch, with straps the color of Yukito's and Yue's hair. The style was exquisite, but it was the picture on the face of the watch that caught her attention. There was a snowy-white rabbit leaning against a crescent Moon, and cherry blossoms that form a heart framed the rabbit and the moon. She clapped her hand in gee and purchased it. To her relief, the watch wasn't too expensive, and her savings were more than enough. After the sales lady wrapped it, she ran happily to Yukito's house. Luck was on her side as Yukito was at home, sweeping his lawn. 

"Ohayo!" Sakura called out cheerfully.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" Yukito was glad to see her, though he had no idea why she's here on a Sunday.

"Yuki…….ah, I mean Yukito-san, I've got something for you." Sakura blushed as she had uttered his nickname without thinking.

"Sakura-chan, please call me Yuki. I like it better. Oh? What have you got for me? You should have gone to the expense, you know. I'm happy just to see you." Yukito smiled warmly at her.

"Ah, ok, _Yuki._ I got you a watch. I hope you like it." She thrust the box at him shyly. 

"Arigatou!" He unwrapped it carefully and open the box. "Kawaii!!" He exclaimed happily. (A/N: I know it's strange to give a guy such a cute looking watch, but somehow it suits Yuki and can convey Sakura's encouragement for him. Besides, Yuki loves Sakura now, so even if Sakura gives him a tutu-skirt and asks him to wear it, dancing around the lawn, he probably would have done so happily. HAH HAH HAH)

Yukito took the watch and put it round his wrist, securing the velvety straps. He gave it another admiring look before thanking Sakura again. 

She beamed, glad that he liked her gift. "Yukito-san, this watch is for you, to remind you that no matter what happens, I'll be by your side." Remembering she still got to look for Eriol, she hurriedly bid a goodbye to Yukito.

Yukito was having an afternoon nap and he was dreaming.

He found himself standing in front of a clear blue lake, green moss grass beneath his feet. A soft breeze ruffled his hair. The full moon was glowing brightly, so Yukito could make out his surroundings easily. The rays of the moon cast an ethereal glow on the lake, drawing his attention to its surface. A ripple appeared, and instead of his own reflection, he saw an angel. An otherworldly beautiful angel, with large white wings, long silky silver tresses and eyes the color of the moon, silvery with specks of violets. 

"Who are you?" Yukito whispered, afraid that the angel will disappear. He spoke into Yukito's mind directly.

"I am Yue." And being not so adept with words, Yue decided to explain to Yukito through his memories of what he is when he was created by Clow, how Clow died and left him with the duty of choosing a new master for the cards. How he slept in the book for centuries before a candidate for the cardcaptor came along. For the first time in his long existence, Yue's heart opened like a book. Sakura has opened his heart, chase away his insecurities, and filled his entire being with love. And with love, comes the courage to face the truth, to reveal himself to his other half, Yukito. 

Yue didn't want to scare Yukito, as Sakura has reminded him to be gentle with his revelations. So he stopped showing Yukito his memories when they reached the part of how Yukito was created. Instead, he spoke gently, with kindness. "And when the candidate for the cardcaptor of the Clow book arrived, I woke up. Though I have to be near the cardcaptor, I cannot reveal my real self till the cardcaptor has collected all the cards, thus I created another me, by splitting my soul into half."

"Since Clow died, I wanted to follow him in his death, but he forbids me. I felt betrayed, and so hurt that I shut my heart, not allowing anyone to get close to me. Filled with sorrowful memories, I decide that my other self doesn't need these pains, so I gave him beautiful, happy memories. And these memories helped to form his personality, a warm, kind and gentle person, someone I wanted to be, but I can't. I am too deep in pain to do so. My other self has no idea of my existence, and I liked it this way. Perhaps I wanted to look at the world through different eyes, or maybe I wanted to live a dream, a dream I know I can't possibly fulfill being what I am. I learned many valuable things through him. And I'm thankful, grateful that I created him, not regretting a moment that I have to share my body with him."

"I would never have the courage to face my other self, if not for my mistress, the cardcaptor who captured not only the Clow cards, but my heart. The one pure soul who saw through my other self, loving not only the warm and gentle personality of my other half, but me, the one inside, with hurt, insecurities and unapproachable demeanor. She saw me clearly for what I am, a soul and a mind split into two, but governed by the same heart."

Yue paused. He raised his hand and drew back the cloth that covered his wrist. And Yukito saw the watch; the same watch that Sakura has given him, on Yue's pale wrist. He gasped, and the truth hit him like a ton of bricks. Yue nodded, he finally got his point across. The horror on Yukito's face made his heart clenched, and wanting to encourage him, to share with him, Yue showed him the memories of Sakura.

Yue showed Yukito the first kiss that he had with Sakura in the cave, the time they were together, dealing with the strange events and changing the Clow cards into Sakura cards. And finally, he showed Yukito the scene where Sakura has declared the love for both of them, when Yue had demanded why she had kissed Yukito. Her explanation rang crystal clear in Yukito's mind.

_"Yue! I love Yuki like I love you! To me, you are both the same, two minds sharing the same body and born of the same heart. To love Yuki is to love you, and to love you is to love Yuki, because both of you are one in my heart."_

And Yukito gave up his struggle, as tears fell from his amber eyes. He had been horrified when he realized that Yue's other self is he, that all memories of his past, his grandparents, his childhood, were false. Yukito had nearly broken down; he didn't want to believe that he was living a lie, living someone else's dreams. His heart grew cold, and he wanted to hide, retreat to the back of his mind and shut out this terrifying truth. But memories of Sakura flooded into his mind, and he was washed over with warm, almost hearing her cheerful encouragement. 

Now he understood why she said those words to him when she gave him the watch earlier on in the morning. _"Yukito-san, this watch is for you, to remind you that no matter what happens, I'll be by your side."  _He looked down at the round surface of his watch, at the picture of the rabbit leaning against a crescent moon, both surrounded by cherry blossoms that formed a heart around them. Then the next words of Sakura, her declaration of love for both him and Yue confirmed his thoughts. That Sakura doesn't seem them as separate entities; to her, Yukito is as real as Yue, and she loves them both equally for they essentially are one and the same. 

Yukito sighed in acceptance. "Yue, could you solidify and appear before me, instead of being a reflection in the lake?"

Yue was taken aback, but did as Yukito requested. There was a ripple in the water before he disappeared. The sound of something rustling made Yukito turn around. He thought that Yue was more beautiful in the flesh than ever. _An angel. My angel. _Yukito smiled wistfully. Yue had his arms folded across his chest, a seemingly cool expression on his face. But Yukito could see the doubts lurking in his eyes, as if he is preparing himself for rejection. 

He walked towards Yue and hugged him tightly, showing his acceptance of the truth, and of him. Yue stiffened in shock. He _had_ been mentally prepared for the worst. Then he relaxed as he felt Yukito's acceptance and love flowing into his mind with warmth. The two handsome figures stood locked in embrace for a few moments, before the one wearing glasses stepped back and smiled with tenderness. 

"Thank you for creating me, for without you, there wouldn't be a me. And I won't be able to live such a wonderful life, surrounded by a wonderful friend To-ya, and _our_ love, Sakura-chan."

Yue nodded, pleasure evident in his eyes, and he smiled shyly, tentatively.

"Yue, can you do me a favor please?" 

"What is it?"

"I don't want to be tucked away in a corner of your mind whenever you transform into yourself. I want to be aware of what's going on, as I want to spend every waking moment of my life with clarity, and with the one we love. Please." 

There were a few moments of silence. For the first time, Yue empathized; he could understand why Yukito wanted to be awake in his mind, so that he could spend more time with Sakura. _Yes, the one we both love. _Yue thought. 

So he nodded, his promise to Yukito that would form the beginning of the melding of both minds. 

Yukito beamed with delight. And then yawned. He smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know I could get sleepy in a dream."

Yue felt the corners of his lips curve. "I didn't know that either, but with us, anything is possible."

They shared a laugh, Yukito's loud and carefree, Yue's a short snort. 

While Yukito was dreaming of Yue, Sakura had left Yukito's house and took out the mobile that Tomoyo had given her. Her face scrunched in concentration as she tried to remember Eriol's number. Clapping her hands when she finally got it, she jabbed the numbers quickly. To her relief, Eriol answered the phone instead of his guardians. "Konichiwa, Eriol-kun! This is Sakura, are you busy now?"

"Konichiwa, Sakura-chan. No, I'm not busy, is there something wrong?" Eriol's heart beat thumped faster at the sound of Sakura's sweet voice. 

"I have something to tell you, and I need your help. Well, is it convenient to visit you now or do you want to meet somewhere?" 

"No problem, come over to my house, Ruby Moon and Spinel is not at home." Eriol smiled slyly as he thought, _that is, they won't be at home soon. I sense Sakura wants to talk to me in private, so I better get the two out of the house, and stay out till late at night………_

 "Great! I'm just a few streets away, so I should be there soon. See you!" 

Eriol put down the receiver of his house phone, and summoned his two guardians. After giving them _strict_ instructions to leave the house and not return till late at night, he prepared some food for Sakura and waited for her arrival. 

Sakura knocked at the massive oak doors of Eriol's house, panting a little as she had been running. The doors swung open after her first knock, almost like Eriol has been waiting behind them earlier. "Eriol-kun!" He stared at her silky wind-blown dark honeyed hair, shimmering bright green eyes and rosy cheeks, small sweet mouth parting slightly from taking quick breaths after her run. He was mesmerized, and stood like a statue till Sakura waved a slender smooth hand in front of his eyes. "Eriol-kun?"  

He snapped out of his trance and ushered her in warmly, inviting her into his living room. Tea and some snacks were already on the table in the middle of the room, flanked by comfortable-looking sofas. 

"Arigatou Eriol-kun! I'm sorry to disturb you, but I really need your help." Sakura explained the reason for her visit, and the points that Tomoyo had told her. 

_Why am I behaving like a lovesick fool? Get these stupid thoughts out of my head and focused on what Sakura is saying! _Eriol reprimanded himself silently.

After Sakura finished talking, Eriol said thoughtfully. "Yes, Tomoyo is right, it's possible that once you leave to return to your present, your fifth-grade mind will not be able to catch up so quickly. So there will be a drastic drop in powers which may be trouble to Yue and Yukito."

"Oh no! Then I'll have to stay and relive the past three years of my life. Well, I suppose it's not too bad, as long as I can be with those I love. But I've got to inform the Eriol-kun of my time, or he'll be worried!"

To her surprise, Eriol smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, the future is tied to the past, and all you have just told me, will reach the future me in dreams. The Eriol of your time will know, eventually."

Sakura heaved a sound of relief. "Great! I didn't want him, I mean you, I mean the Eriol-kun of my time to be worried."

"Arigatou, Sakura-chan." 

"No no, I should thank you! You are always so helpful and supportive to me." Sakura gave Eriol a quick hug to express her gratitude. Eriol smiled again, but this time, it was tinged with sadness. If as sensing his mood change, Sakura gave him a concern look. "Eriol-kun, are you all right? Is there anything I can help you with? Please don't hesitate to ask me for anything ok?" 

Eriol looked thoughtful for a second, then he asked, "Anything?" 

Sakura nodded vigorously. Eriol bend forward and brushed Sakura's cheeks with a gentle kiss. His lips lingered on her soft cheeks for a few seconds, before he drew back reluctantly. Sakura flushed red. 

"I'm going to bring some more tea." Eriol took the teapot and retreated to his kitchen. His heart was thumping. _Why did I do that? Stupid stupid stupid! But I just can't resist it, this longing I feel, this urge to kiss her, even if it's just on her cheeks. I hope she doesn't know my true feelings for her, for I know, she doesn't return my feelings. But for now, I'm contented to just be with her like this, as a confidante. Yes, for now. _

Meanwhile, Sakura was still rooted to the spot, her head whirling from Eriol's kiss. _Eriol? Why did he kiss me? I'm so confused. Is it just to express his friendship for me? But I feel something………..special. When his face was close to mine, I could smell his unique scent, a mixture of the sea breeze and summer rays. An aroma that curls round my heart, comforting, warm and gentle. But one that is tinged with a lingering sense of sadness and loneliness. And for a moment, I wanted to return his kiss, to erase away the shadows from his heart. I had the sudden urge to throw my arms around him tightly, crying with him, sharing his burdens, and just to be with him. And to keep all pain and hurt away from him, to protect and cherish him. Is this just sympathy I feel for him? Or is it something else? _

When Eriol returned to the living room with a fresh pot of tea, both of them had managed to calm considerably. They engaged in some small talk, mostly about school. Then Sakura seemed to remember something she wanted to clarify with Eriol. "Eriol-kun, I have the feeling that Ruby Moon doesn't really like Yukito-san……….do you know why?" 

Eriol was surprised at her question but hurriedly masked it behind a smooth smile. "Is that so?"

Sakura displayed her growing maturity and perceptiveness. "Eriol-kun, please don't hide this from me. Especially if this concerns Yukito-san."

He sighed. "She has nothing against Yukito, it's Yue that she doesn't like. I believe it's because of Touya." 

"Onni-chan? What's it got to do with him?"

Eriol hesitated. He didn't really tell Sakura about Ruby Moon's secret, but Sakura was looking at her with those large beseeching eyes that there's no way he can deny her anything. 

"She wanted Touya, more specifically, she wanted his powers. And she knows that Yue needs those powers. Since Touya is close to Yukito, she knows that he would rather give Yue his powers than her. That's why she dislikes Yue. But she doesn't mean any harm, really." 

The silence that stretched after Eriol's reply was a calm before storm. Sakura has never felt anger, no, _rage_, towards anyone before. Now she's so furious, she wanted to break something. Her face grew grim, and she lowered her head, not wanting Eriol to see her like this. Inside her head, she was screeching. 

_DOESN'T MEAN ANY HARM??? SHE WANTS MY ONNI-CHAN'S POWERS, BUT DOESN'T MEAN ANY HARM? What the hell does this mean? I remember how tired Onni-chan looked when he had transferred his powers to Yue, and how much he was suffering. I didn't want him to sacrifice his powers, and that's why I stayed back in the past, resigned to live through the last three years of my life again! And now, a new threat? From a person I thought is a friend? Ruby Moon, the always cheerful and happy-go-lucky girl I THOUGHT she was. I had no idea she had a hidden motive for getting close to us, to Onni-chan. Why? Why do you do this? Are powers all you can think of? Or did I misunderstand you? I trusted you and I thought we are friends. Why…………………_

Large drops of tears fell from her eyes, and shadows grew in her innocent and her trusting nature. Eriol saw this and was alarmed.

"Sakura-chan! Ruby Moon is always more talk than action anyway, I bet she doesn't really want Touya's powers, just his attention. Please don't cry, I didn't mean to make you cry……….." Eriol realized his mistake in telling Sakura the truth. But it was too late.

Sakura didn't seem to hear him as she raised her tear-rimmed eyes to Eriol, and they were filled with anger and mistrust. "When did you intend to tell me about Ruby Moon's motives? Or were you NEVER going to tell me? I thought you are my friend, that's why I confided in you, about my aim to prevent Touya from giving up his powers. That's why I ignored my fatigue, pushing myself to increase my magic to sustain Yue so that Onni-chan doesn't need to suffer. Have I done all these for naught, for Ruby Moon to harvest his powers instead? Are you going to sit by and watch her do that?"

"I thought I could trust you, I even thought that I………" Sakura stood up and prepared to leave. Eriol's heart shattered, as her angry words filled his mind. "Sakura-chan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to" His words were cut off abruptly by Sakura running out of the house. He sank to the floor and stare into the air with a guilt-stricken and pained look on his pale face. 

And Sakura ran. She dashed blindly, tears clouding her vision. Her heart felt like it's been torn by a pack of wolves, ripped into a million shreds. Her mind was numbed with agony, with the intense hurt that could only come with the betrayal of someone you trust deeply. She was devastated. She wasn't sure about anything anymore. Eriol, the one friend she could always depend on, the one who understands what she's going through as a cardcaptor, the one whom had always helped her, had lied to her. Had kept the truth about his guardian, Ruby Moon. Sakura last thought before she fainted on the sidewalk was, _Why Eriol, why? _

TBC

A/N: A long chapter completed! Eriol's friendship with Sakura is threatened! Poor Sakura. Sorry, no new characters in the story yet……………..no idea how to blend that into the plot…….sigh. Expect some more fluff in the next chapter, some angst, some changes and surprises. Heh heh heh.

Review! Yeah! Need my fuel! Thanks! 


	10. Chapt 11: Changes

A/N: Arigatou for your reviews! That's what keeps me going really, besides my own curiosity on how this story will turn out. 

I try not to be too OOC, but they have a way of growing along with the plot. Sakura's going to change a lot in this chapter, but don't flame me ok!!! I'll make sure they get a happy ending, in the end. 

For Syaoran's fans, this chapter will have a short scene of S+S. I just can't ignore him, since he's a main character in the CCS. Not to worry! There will also be scenes of our main pairing YY+S, and on another of my fav person, Eriol. Ya, and everyone loves Sakura heh heh heh. There'll probably be a love triangle later on…….

Oh, the title of this chapter is pretty lame, but oh well, it's the contents that matters, huh?

Ok, hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it!

WARNING: There's a pretty heated up kissing scene, but nothing beyond that. Just to warn you guys/gals, in case. 

CHAPTER Eleven: CHANGES

Syaoran was walking home after shopping for some groceries, when he saw a familiar figure lying on the sidewalk. His heart seized in terror when he realized it's Sakura. 

"Sakura?" He rushed forward, dropping his bags of food on the pavement. "Hey! Wake up! You OK?" Syaoran shook her shoulders not-so-gently. There was no response, as she remained unconscious. He carried her, leaving behind his groceries as he hurried back home. Wei-san had taken a day off to settle some of his matters, and so the house was empty. Syaoran laid Sakura on the couch and went to get some wet towels. Placing the cool cloths on her forehead, he looked at Sakura with worry. Soon, she slowly regained consciousness, as she moaned. "What……..happened?" 

"You are finally awake. I found you lying on the sidewalk, out cold. What happened?"

Sakura was silent, as she averted her eyes from Syaoran's. _I remember now, how I ran out of Eriol's house………and I must have fainted. _

At the thought of Eriol, she clenched a fist over her heart, feeling the hurt searing like a hot flame over it. Her swollen lids fluttered as she tried to keep from crying, but failed. Hot, wet drops fell, as she sat up in the couch and attempted to walk away from Syaoran. 

"Hey, what happened? Don't cry………" Syaoran asked in a more gentle tone. 

The kindness from him caused her emotions to rain out in a torrent, as she sobbed and threw herself into his arms. His face and ears turned tomato red, but cooled rapidly when Sakura's cries became more distressful. Hesitatingly, he slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders. His other hand came up to pat her dark locks kindly. He waited patiently for her tears to subside. 

"Syaoran-kun, arigatou…….." Sakura withdrew from his embrace and forced a watery smile. He was surprised at the way she greeted him, but kept quiet and nodded.

"So, why are you crying?"

Sakura was silent. She couldn't tell him about Eriol any more than she can tell him about the future. Shaking her head, she apologized.

"Gomen, I just………..I just found out some things that caused me much shock, hurt and pain." She didn't explain further. Syaoran frowned, not understanding what she means. "Is it about _that_ person?" He thought that it had something to do with Yukito-san, as there are not many people who can cause her so much pain. 

"No! Of course not. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me. But…….it does have something to do with him, I suppose." If Sakura hadn't asked Eriol about why Ruby Moon seems to dislike Yukito, she probably wouldn't be so hurt. Yet, being kept in the dark, and her brother in danger is not something she would like. 

Syaoran was getting more puzzled. "I don't understand."

"I'm sorry I can't explain things clearly, but thanks for comforting me. I feel better now." She mustered up a brave smile for Syaoran's sake, even though she didn't feel that much better. Just a tiny bit better, as the pain has resided to numbness. 

He didn't want to press her for details, so he just nodded, and offered to send her home. She rejected, saying she's all right, and left with Syaoran's looking at her retreating back with a concerned and worried frown. 

Sakura walked as the evening approached. She walked and walked, not knowing where she's heading, and just going where her legs bring her to. She found herself on the street that Eriol had confronted her some days ago, with the conversation about her being from the future. She remembered confiding in Eriol, letting her burdens lose on him, and after that, empathizing with him and offering him friendship and trust. Thinking about that, the sad and lonely look in his eye, and how he had helped her all these while, she closed her eyes in shame. How could she accuse him of hurting her? Memories of Eriol helping her, and listening to her, and supporting her no matter what flooded her mind. 

_I'm so sorry Eriol! How could I even think for a minute that you have betrayed my trust! You would never do that to me, our friendship means more than anything to you. I'm sure you honestly believe that Ruby Moon wouldn't harm Onni-chan, and that's why you didn't tell me, didn't want to worry me. Yet when I demanded the truth, you told me, because you trust me. I know now, that your kind heart will never allow you to hurt anyone. I remember from the events that you planned to push me in changing the cards into Sakura cards, that you never harmed anyone. And………….how could I have misunderstood your intentions so badly! Oh, please forgive me, Eriol!_

And while the shadows in Sakura's heart were replaced with light, the light of truth, someone was suffering in the darkness of guilt.

IN ERIOL'S HOME

The angry words and hurt tone of Sakura resounded in Eriol's mind long after she had ran out of his house.

**Sakura's previous words: **_"When did you intend to tell me about Ruby Moon's motives? Or were you NEVER going to tell me? I thought you are my friend, that's why I confided in you, about my aim to prevent Touya from giving up his powers. That's why I ignored my fatigue, pushing myself to increase my magic to sustain Yue so that Onni-chan doesn't need to suffer. Have I done all these for naught, for Ruby Moon to harvest his powers instead? Are you going to sit by and watch her do that? I thought I could trust you, I even thought that I………"_

**Eriol's thoughts: **_You even thought you what? Sakura? I wonder what you were going to say. But I'll never find out now, will I? I have no doubts you would never want to see me or talk to me again. You think I have betrayed you, that I am allowing Ruby Moon to hurt your brother for my own selfish gains? How could I, when I love you so much, when the thing that I feared most is making you unhappy? And Touya is almost half my son, you know. Since his and your father is the reincarnated self of Clow's half soul. I wouldn't hurt him, never. Ruby Moon is just playful, I wouldn't ever allow her to harm Touya or gain his powers. Because I have confidence in Touya, he's smart and sharp; Ruby Moon doesn't have a chance. I know, but you don't, Sakura. I'm so sorry for not explaining things to you earlier, so sorry for hurting you, for making you cry, for causing your anger. Will you give me one chance to apologize? Or have I lost you forever?_

Eriol thought his heart couldn't hurt more when Sakura has hurled those angry words at him, but at the thought of not seeing Sakura ever again, his heart was destroyed, and in place a deep black hole that seem to suck his mind in. He closed his eyes and weep heart-wrenchingly. 

A few streets away from Eriol's Home

Sakura, having cleared her mind and finally understanding that Eriol wouldn't hurt or betray her no matter what, she decided to apologize to him. She was so regretful that she wanted to see Eriol and say sorry to him immediately. Using her staff in a dark alley, she summon the 'Fly', and changed it into a Sakura card. All the while pleading in her mind for wings to grow on her back instead of on her staff, as she believed it would be faster to fly this way. Angelic white wings sprouted from her slender back as she took off into the sky, heading quickly for Eriol's home. She landed on his porch, and the sun was setting by then. Timidly, not knowing if Eriol would forgive her, she knocked on the door softly. Waiting impatiently for a while as there was no respond, she flew round the house, looking for a window to enter. The wide glass windows leading from the garden to the living room were opened, and she got into the house, landing gracefully on her feet.

Eriol was distracted from his weeping by a familiar pink aura circling his house. As the aura drew closer, he opened his puffy eyes and cleaned his tear-streaked glasses. His azure eyes widened in disbelief as Sakura flew into the living room, two feathery wings on her back. Against the rays of the setting sun, Sakura looks like an angel, an angel who has come to delivery Eriol his punishment. 

"Sakura?" He whispered softly, as the angelic figure set her dainty feet on his polished wood panels gracefully. Eriol could hardly believe his eyes. But he thought that Sakura has come back to punish him, to hurt him like he had hurt her. And he was fully prepared for it; in fact he welcomed her, he wanted her to, so that it would lessen some of the guilt he has. 

But there was no wrath or anger in Sakura's eyes. Her emerald-green eyes reflected the guilt that Eriol felt, and the apology she had came to make. She approached Eriol tentatively, who was still kneeling on the floor. She knelt down with him, and took the hands of a shocked Eriol into her shaky ones.

"Eriol." Her voice was hoarse from crying, and was trembling. Bringing his hands to her lips, she kissed them softly, before she murmured, "I'm so sorry, Eriol, I have wronged you, accused you and misunderstood you. Will you ever forgive me?" 

His eyes widened when Sakura had knelt down in front of him, and his heart starting beating again when she took his hands and kissed them. And when she had apologized to him, the person who had hurt her badly, he was overcome with gratitude, relief and shame. Shame that she had made the first move to apologize to him. But his relief was so strong that it overwhelmed all other emotions. His sapphire-blue eyes cleared and shone brightly with joy. 

Seeing Eriol's hurt melt away to be replaced with joy after she had said sorry, she too, was relieved. She hugged him tightly, and didn't let go till he said, "I'm sorry too, Sakura-chan." 

She shook her head vehemently, "No, it's all MY fault, how could I have misunderstood you! I know you are a kind, gentle and trust-worthy person who would never hurt me! And how can I be so ungrateful as to forget your help, support and friendship in my time of needs? Without you, without you I wouldn't even be here!" She sobbed and embraced him again, crushing him to her shaking body. 

_Yes Eriol, without you, I wouldn't have been a cardcaptor, experienced all those wonderful adventures, get to be friends with the cards, with Kero-chan and Syaoran, and………….and I wouldn't have gotten to know Yue. It is all due to Clow-san and you that made me what I am today. And I'm so sorry for causing you distress and hurt just now. Now I know what they mean by – "My life is nothing without you." Truly, if you weren't here, I wouldn't know what to do. I love you. _

And she unthinkingly blurted out the words of her last thought – "I love you." Both pairs of eyes widened in shock. 

_Did my ears deceive me? Did you truly utter those three words to me? The three words that my heart has desired ever since I fell in love with you? Dare I believe it to be real?_

Eriol's head whirled with confusion, but he couldn't deny his love, longing and desire for Sakura anymore. _I am no longer contented to be just your friend, Sakura. _He swooped down quickly to press his lips to Sakura's, before he could change his mind, ignoring the consequences, wanting to throw caution to the wind for once and not care about doing the right thing. 

Sakura was stunned when she felt Eriol's heated lips on hers, and his passionate embrace when his arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes to think, but found that she couldn't think AT ALL. His kiss was full of longing, tenderness and love. Sakura couldn't think, but she could feel. She felt cherished, treasured and protected, as if nothing can ever get to her, nothing could harm her as long as Eriol's arms are around her. And his lips, oh GOD, Sakura never imagined that he could kiss like THAT. While her kisses with Yuki and Yue have been passionate with love, it has never felt so _all consuming._ Like a blazing flame that threatened to burn everything inside of her, and she felt the stirring of something new in her, something she had never felt before – _lust._

The combination of feeling cherished and desired baffled her. Sakura doesn't even know what lust is, but she hunger for Eriol's touch like she had never before. Not thinking, and just going with her instincts, she deepened the kiss, silently giving Eriol permission to continue. His body reacted to this, and his wet tongue darted out, tracing Sakura's mouth with teasing strokes. He had wanted to taste her, the enticing scent of cherry blossom that's always on her. The sensations of Eriol's wet kisses shot up to her head as it went dizzy with a strong yearn. She fisted his dark hair as she whimpered against his lips. Eriol trailed kisses down to her smooth throat and sucked at a sensitive spot. She moaned, and unconsciously rubbed her body seductively against his. Eriol groaned when he felt Sakura snuggling against him. Although he has an eleven year-old body, the mind that's inside is centuries old. So he has normal desires like any man; couldn't help but respond to a warm female who's currently causing his blood to boil and certain regions to start being affected. He decided to end this before it could get further, his sanity finally returning amidst the cloud of passion. 

But before they could move apart, the doors clashed open and Ruby Moon entered nosily. "Konbawa…….." Her cheerful greeting trailed off at the sight of the couple before her. For once in her life, she was speechless. 

Sakura and Eriol sprang guilty apart, embarrassed to the core to be caught in the act. Sakura face was so red that Eriol thought she'd get a stroke. Eriol's heart was beating erratically, but appear outwardly calm, as if being caught in the act of kissing a girl in the living room by his guardian is a common occurrence.  

"Why are you back so early, Ruby Moon?" Eriol's voice sounded suspiciously hoarse.

"Huh? Oh! It was so boring outside, not like at home." With a sly grin, she asked, "Was I disturbing anything? Oh, that's Sakura-chan right? Hello!" 

Sakura mumbled something and cast a nervous glance at Eriol, who was smiling infuriatingly at Ruby Moon. His eyes seemed to assure Sakura, but she was too embarrassed to notice. Sakura blurted, "I'm going home." And she dashed out of the house like the wind, before Eriol could stop her. 

Eriol was furious at Ruby Moon, but he kept quiet. Ruby Moon approached him, intending to tease him more, when his aura flared as he summoned his magic. "Seal her memory, what she has seen just now." Ruby Moon blinked as her memory of seeing Eriol and Sakura kiss was gone, and she asked innocently, "Hey Eriol? How did I get into the living room?"

He ignored her and walked to the window, staring up at the moon and wondering how Sakura is feeling about their kiss. He wanted to chase after her, but he had to clear his own thoughts as well. 

Sakura ran out of Eriol's house for the second time that day, and dashed home. She hurried to her room, glad that nobody's home yet. Throwing herself onto her soft bed, she buried her head into her pillow. Kero-chan flew to her and asked with concern, "Sakura? Sakura are you ok?"

She mumbled, "Leave me alone! Just leave me alone………" Kero-chan had never seen her behave like this before and his worry grew. 

Sakura was so confused about what happened between her and Eriol just now. She didn't know why she had returned his kiss. And didn't mean to say, "I love you" out loud, even though she was thinking it. Truth is, she had no idea why she loves Eriol, and whether it's the love between really good friends, or something else. She felt that she had done something wrong, yet, how can something wrong feels so good? 

Kero-chan's next words sent a shiver down her spine. "Hey Sakura, is there any new danger? Should I ask Yue to come?" 

_Yue. Yue and Yukito, the person I love. Oh no! What have I done! I have kissed someone else besides Yue and Yukito! How could I! I'm so sorry Yue, I'm so sorry Yukito. I don't know what came over me! But I know that's no excuse. I………I……I don't deserve you! _

Kero-chan was about to leave the room to seek Yue when Sakura caught him in mid-air and said in a tortured whisper, "No, I don't want to see Yue." Kero was surprised, but then, Sakura has always been rather independent, and avoided looking for Yue when there was trouble. "If you are sure, Sakura. But what happened?"

"Please…….please just leave me alone." Sakura pleaded, as she cried, tears of shame and guilt. Kero-chan sat on her desk and watched over her, till he finally fell asleep. Sakura, however, couldn't sleep. She was suffering from the guilt of kissing another guy and yet feeling good when she was doing it. She still doesn't know what she feels for Eriol, but she definitely doesn't want to lose Yue or Yukito. She feels selfish for her indecision, and this drew in further down in the turmoil of emotions whirling in her heart. 

Sakura tossed and turned in bed till dawn, not having a wink of sleep. She climbed out of bed at 6.30am, when the sun was starting to rise. It was one of the earliest time she has ever gotten out of bed, and the house was silent. It was her turn to prepare breakfast, and Touya is probably still asleep. She washed up and dressed in her school uniform listlessly. Dragging her feet downstairs, she started cooking a simple breakfast, one that wouldn't require much thought. Her head was pounding from lack of sleep and confusion over her heart. Her usual cheerful smile was replaced by a frown, and her normally bright-green eyes were troubled. When Touya came down for breakfast, Sakura greeted him quietly. He was surprised, and then concerned when he saw how she looked. 

"Sakura, are you ok?" His usual teasing was replaced by a concerned question of her welfare.

She nodded, tried to come up with a smile but found that she couldn't. Bowing her head, she picked at her food. After a couple of bites and leaving a majority of the food on her plate, she said, "I'm full." Touya's dark eyes were clouded with worry at her behavior, and he asked again. "Are you sick, Sakura?" 

Shaking her head, she cleared her plate and mumbled, "Daijoubu." Without waiting for Touya as she usually does, she prepared to go to school. Touya shouted after her, "Hey, I'm meeting Yuki, don't you want to come?" Sakura's eyes shone with tears as she raised them to Touya, whispering painfully. "No." And she ran out of the house. Touya was alarmed. Did something happen between Yuki and his sister? Why did tears appear in her eyes when he mentioned Yuki? He hurriedly finished his breakfast, determined to get some answers from his best friend. 

"Yuki!!" Touya waved at him as he neared the junction where they usually meet. 

"Ohayo To-ya! Where's Sakura-chan?" Yuki looked behind Touya, searching for Sakura.

"She's gone to school early today." Touya narrowed his eyes and posed his next question.

"Hey Yuki, did something happen between you and her?" 

Yuki blushed at the memory of their kiss, and kept quiet. Touya noticed this immediately and demanded, "What did you do to her?" He must have sounded fierce, a tone he had never used with Yuki before, because Yukito's head snap up in shock. 

"Huh?" 

"Come on Yuki, something must have happened! Her eyes were puffy and swollen, and she didn't smile the entire morning! When I ask her how she's feeling, she just mumbled. Mumbled!!! That Kaijuu NEVER mumbles! And the most crucial part is when I mentioned I was meeting you and asked if she'll like to join us, she had TEARS in her eyes as she rejected me. So out with it, what happened!"

Yukito's amber eyes grew wide behind his glasses. _Sakura is sad because of me??? Why? We were still fine that day, and since Yue told me the truth, I have never felt more happy or complete!_

And inside Yukito's mind, Yue was thinking the same. He was alarmed at his mistress distress, and wanted to comfort her, also to find out what happened to make her sad. A flash of silver appeared in Yuki's eyes, causing Touya to stare at him in surprise. 

_Yuki, I want to look for Sakura now. I'm really worried about her. _

_Sure Yue, I'm concerned about her as well, especially since To-ya seems to think I'm the cause of her distress. _

Yukito told To-ya that he would be skipping school today, before running into a dark alley. Touya gave chase, of course, not understanding his friend's strange behavior. Touya ran to the alley to see not Yuki, but Yue in it. He had seen Yue once, during the judgment when he had hid at a corner to make sure Sakura is all right. "So, Yue, we meet at last." 

_To-ya! What are you doing here? _Yukito asked in the back of Yue's mind.

"Yes. And Yuki wants to know what you are doing here." Yue stated indifferently. 

"Yuki can hear me?" 

"Yes."

"Since Yuki doesn't seem to know why my sister is so upset, perhaps you do?" Touya glared at Yue, convinced that he must be the one to cause her sister to be unhappy.

"We both don't know. But we were going to find out, before you interrupted us." Yue replied coldly.

Touya glared at Yue for another second before nodding grudgingly. "Fine, do what you have to. I'll let the teachers know that Yuki is not feeling well today so he can't attend classes."

_Thanks To-ya._

"Yuki says thanks." Yue shot back as he soared into the skies, searching for Sakura's aura. 

Sakura had ran out of the house, wanting to head for school but her legs leading her to her favorite spot in town, the Penguin Park. It was isolated in the morning, and the peaceful quietness was what Sakura was looking for. She sat down on a swing and gaze at nowhere in particular.

_Yuki, Yue, I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened between Eriol and myself; it's something I have never felt before. And I'm ashamed to say that I enjoyed the kiss, even though it's oh-so-wrong. _

_Eriol. I honestly like you, but love you? I don't know. I think my love for you is very special, but is it stronger than what I feel for Yue and Yuki? The sadness and loneliness in your eyes remind me of those in Yue's, and I wanted so much to erase them away for you. And when you kissed me, I felt so cherished and protected, and I know you love me more than I can ever love you. This is so different from what Yue, Yuki and I share. I love Yue and Yuki more than life itself. But I know they don't love me as much as I love them. It's clear as day from their eyes, that their love for me is just growing, while I have loved them for years. I can die for Yue and Yuki, just as I believe you are willing to die for me. But will all this change?_

_I'm starting to learn that nothing remains the same for long, that the only constant in this world is change. Am I back in the past to learn this lesson? And why? So that my heart can ache for Yue and Yuki, who may never love me as I love them? Or so that my heart can break for you, Eriol, knowing I may never be able to return your feelings, not in the way you want them to be returned?_

_And, finally, what do I want really? To love, or be loved?_

Sakura snapped out of her deep thoughts as a familiar purple aura came towards her. "Eriol?" 

"Sakura." Eriol walked towards her and sat on the swing next to hers. 

An inane question popped out of her mouth. "Aren't you going to school?"

Eriol smirked. "How about you?" 

"I guess we'll both be skipping school today." Sakura replied. "This is the first time I have skipped school without being sick or anything." 

Eriol decided he had enough of small talk, and said seriously. "Sakura, about yesterday……….."

"Hooee!!" Sakura blushed. 

Eriol chuckled, and continued. "Don't worry, it's a secret between us. Ruby Moon has forgotten about what she saw."

"Huh? Forgotten? Oh………..you sealed her memory." Sakura recalled this nifty trick that Eriol seems to possess. 

"Yes, you seemed to know about my magic. Of course, it slipped my mind for a moment that you are from the future, and that we are very good friends in your time."

"Sakura, are we still very good friends now?" Eriol asked solemnly, looking deep in Sakura's eyes. He noticed her eyes were red and puffy. Lifting a hand, he massaged her eye tenderly. "You cried?" 

Sakura flinched as she stood up, removing herself from Eriol's touch. "Yes, I cried. But it's not important." She waved her hand in a careless gesture. 

"It's important to me. Did…………….did what I do make you cry? Are you upset about my kiss?" Eriol took her hand in a strong but gentle grip, afraid that she'll run away again.

She bowed her head. "It's not your fault. It's just that…………"

As if reading her mind, Eriol filled in the blank for her. "Just that you are worried about what Yue and Yukito would feel?"

Her head whipped around to face him. "How did you know? Although that's only part of it." 

Eriol frowned. "Part of it?"

Sakura decided that with Eriol, she can always be truthful no matter what, and that he would understand. "At first, I was confused by your kiss, because I never imagine you to feel for me that way. When I told you I love you yesterday, I didn't know what kind of love I have for you. Actually, I still don't know. But I do know one thing." She paused, as Eriol continued to look at her intently, giving her his full attention.

She took a deep breath and said, "I love Yue and Yukito more than I love you." 

Eriol tried to hide his disappointment, as he had expected it somewhat, but Sakura caught his expression before it disappeared.

"Eriol. Don't." Sakura cupped his face with both her hands. "Don't hide your pain away. I know it hurts, and I'm sorry to be the one who cause it. But there will always be truth between us, no matter what, right?" 

He nodded, and let the tears that had been collecting in his heart fall. Sakura rubbed them away, and continued. "But I can also honestly tell you that, I enjoyed the kiss we had." Hope and joy grew in Eriol's eyes.

"To be truthful to you, and myself, I don't know what I want. To love, or be loved. Why can't it go both ways? I'm so selfish, right?"

"No, Sakura, it's normal to feel confused. You just haven't made up your mind yet. No matter what is your choice, we'll always be good friends, and that won't change. I promise." Eriol suppressed his longing for Sakura, because his love for her is stronger, because his need to see her happy is his priority, and his only priority. 

Sakura was touched. "Eriol, it's not fair to you. It's not……….." She shook her head sadly. 

"No, it's not fair, but as long as you are happy, I'll be fine. Your happiness is most important to me, and nothing else." Eriol smiled adoringly at Sakura, his eyes shining with all the love he has for her. She was humbled by the immense amount of love Eriol has for her. And to make him happy too, she accepted it quietly, knowing distinctly that this is the right thing to do. 

"I may not be able to return all your feelings, but I accept them, and you will have my friendship as long as both of us shall live." Sakura promised. 

Eriol started to smile, but he froze when he sense a silver aura approaching. He joked, "Oh-oh, I think lover-boy is coming to catch me, the one who dared to seduce his love." Sakura turned red in the face. "Eriol!" 

"Ha ha ha. Don't worry, now's not the time for me to appear to him yet, so I'll leave. And, the most enjoyable kiss we had will remain in my heart, and nowhere else."

Sakura understood that he was promising to keep their kiss a secret, and nodded. Eriol had just left when Yue swooped down, looking at Sakura with concern in his eyes. 

"Yue." 

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Yue asked.

Having her heart lift from Eriol's comforting words, she's now able to smile genuinely. "I'm fine! Don't worry Yue!" _Yue, you came looking for me because you are worried. I'm touched. I wish I could confess to you what I did to get this load off my mind, but Eriol doesn't want his presence known till all cards are changed. So I can just wait, wait for the day when I can tell you the truth and ask for your forgiveness. Yours and Yuki's. For now, I shall love you with all my heart, and hope that your love will someday matches mine. _

_And of course, to increase my powers so that Onni-chan will be fine. _

"Touya was asking Yuki what happened to you, he said that you looked upset……….and he thought that your sadness had something to do with Yuki and me. Is…………is it true?" Yue was asking hesitatingly. 

Sakura didn't want to lie to Yue anymore than she have to, so she replied, "Don't worry Yue, and Yuki, it's all right now." 

Her evasive answer seemed to satisfy Yuki, who heaved a sigh of relief in Yue's mind, but Yue was not convinced. Sensing her reluctance to answer him, Yue decided not to pressurize her. Anyway, she's fine now, and that's the most important thing.

"Oh Yue! Doesn't Yuki need to go to school?" 

"Yuki was worried about you, so I suggested that we look for you, to which he agreed to."

"Huh? You spoke to Yuki? Oh! You finally told him the truth about yourself! How's did he take it? Is he all right?" 

"Why don't you ask him yourself." And Yue transformed back into Yukito.

"Hoeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

"Sakura-chan!" Yuki hugged her and said, "I'm so glad you are fine now!" She returned his hug, and smiled. "Yes, sorry to have made both of you worry. How about you? Are you…………"

"Yes, yes, Daijoubu! Yue's an angel really." Yue frowned at the back of Yuki's mind. _Me? An angel?_

"Yes, he's really kind, and told me the truth about us being in the same body as gently as possibly. Of course, we have the same heart, the one that you love, so this makes things much easier for me too." Yukito grinned. 

Sakura blushed. "Ah…….ya…….I'm glad you are all right, Yuki."

He bent to brush a light kiss on her rosy lips. "And your watch, words of encouragement also helped, a lot. Arigatou." 

"You….you are welcomed!" 

Yukito took her hand and held them in his, walking towards the town. "Since we are both skipping school today, let's have some fun!"

"Hai!" _Yes, no matter what, I believe I will always love Yuki and Yue. _

"Why don't we have lunch at that newly opened café?" Yuki suggested happily at the mention of food. 

"Sure, Yuki, let's go." Sakura had no idea which one he was talking about, having spent most of her time either schooling or meditating to increase her powers. Come to think of it, she hadn't done anything recreational for a long time, not counting the picnic she had with Yukito on last Saturday. Remembering that the last time she meditated was three days ago, she panicked. 

"Wait, I ah, I think I got to go home………" 

"Why?" Yuki gave her a puzzled look. 

"I, ah………I have got something to do." Sakura smiled weakly. 

"Maybe I can help you with it?" Yuki asked innocently. Yue was actually rather curious too. 

For the lack of a better answer, Sakura sighed. "It's ok, I don't think I need to go back NOW, so let's have lunch first." She vowed silently to triple her efforts at improving her magic once she reaches home. 

"Yes! Let's go!" Yuki led Sakura to a nice café, which had a European designed concept. As they were wearing their uniforms, the couple got some strange looks. But Yuki and Sakura were oblivious to it all. They cheerfully ordered some food and chattered about nothing of consequence. 

While the couple was having the time of their life dinning, there were three very worried people thinking of Sakura. Touya, Tomoyo and Syaoran. Their thoughts are the same. "Where is Sakura? And what happened to her?" 

And in the future, a presence was also missing Sakura badly. Someone, someone from her past. Her past……..life.

==========TBC===========

A/N: Things seem to be going smoothly for Sakura now, but don't be fooled, cuz the course of true love never does runs smooth. Eriol can reincarnate from Clow, so why can't Sakura reincarnate from someone too? Clow is a powerful magician, but he's not God, and there's some things he's bound to miss. In planning the perfect new mistress for the Clow cards, and for his two guardians, he overlooked Sakura's past-life, and her past-life is……………

Heck I don't know too! But I'll know when the fic goes on……………

The story is going to get more complicated…………….

Hey, remember to review!! Thanks! 


	11. A Thank You Note

A THANK YOU NOTE TO ALL MY REVIEWERS  
  
Hey guys and girls, my eleven chapter's up! Wow! I never imagined myself to be able to write such a long fic. It's all thanks to all of you, your wonderful support and kind comments! Here are my thanks to each and everyone of you!  
  
To my first reviewer, Thaliel: Thanks for liking my story, and I love Yue too! He's definitely going to have a happy ending! Being the first review, and a positive one, is really great! I was so insecure how my fic will be received, seeing it's my third fic. (My first being 'Another Sakura' and second, 'Another Side of the Moon')  
  
To Hitokiri-miao miao, also one of my first reviewers: Arigatou for taking the time to review, and yes, Yue's the best, isn't he? I haven't seen your review since the first chapter, but I hope you are still reading and enjoying my fic. And remember to review!  
  
To Moon Sorceress: Thank you for reviewing! I hope you are still reading my fic and enjoying it!  
  
To Mistress Sakura: You are the only one who liked my fic enough to *beg* me for an update....I'm truly humbled and grateful, thank you so much. It's readers like you who inspires me to update faster.  
  
To ERi: Thanks for liking my fic even though you don't like the pairing, Domo!  
  
To Kella, one of my most enthusiastic readers: Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu! Thanks for perking me up with your kind and generous comments that really raise my confidence to write by leaps and bounds! Hope I won't disappoint you, and my other readers!  
  
To brokenAngelYue: Thanks for reviewing and don't worry, Eriol will definitely be fine in the future, though the future IS changing. I will be writing a chapter on the future time frame soon, probably in my Fourteen Chapter.  
  
To Christine: Thank you! For your praise and review! To be honest, I started writing this fic with Y+S pairing because I got frustrated looking for Y+S fics. There are just too little of them out there! And I love romance, mushy-feel-good stuff heh heh heh. My other fanfic, "Another Side of The Moon", is pure fluff, mush, and romance, plus a dash of humor. Do check it out if you like romantic stuff!  
  
To Lau, probably the most helpful, kind and generous reviewer I have: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! For your long reviews, ideas to help me get over the writer's block, constructive comments, insightful questions, and vote of confidence. Yeah, I know I shouldn't have let Eriol kiss Sakura, but I just feel so sorry for him. He helps everyone, and smiles so kindly, but I have the feeling he's really sad. And yes, Yue's going to find out about Eriol in the next chapters (which I have done but not yet posted) and he's mad alright! Touya also finds out about Yukito and his 'little' sister, and his reaction is...well..tune in to find out!  
  
Things ARE getting more complicated, heh heh heh. I love and adore Yue, and I think Yukito's cute, so Sakura will most likely be with them both, now that their minds are starting to combine. But about the kiss...ah..Sakura's going to suffer for her one mistake...you'll see *evil chuckles*  
  
And I'm fast in my updates because of you reviewers, so please please please review! I wouldn't know if anyone is reading my fanfic or not if you don't review!  
  
I'm starting a new fic called "Behind The Scenes" soon. It's going to be about the CCS characters as actors in the CCS series, and what their lives/personalities are really like after they get off the screen into the real world. Lots of humor and surprises to be expected! I'm writing this new fic because I'm a little depressed recently. Why? I'm depressed because last night I dreamt of the CCS cast, mainly Eriol and Syaoran....BUT NO YUE!! WHY? Even Yukito has evaded my dreams....Sigh...  
  
And I needed something to perk me up besides your kind reviews....so remember! REMEMBER TO REVIEW! THANK YOU! 


	12. Chapt 12: Yukito And Onnichan

**CHAPTER TWELVE: YUKITO AND ONNI-CHAN**

A/N: Am I dragging the story? Do you want it to end sooner? Heck, I don't know myself, what do you think? Personally, I love looooooooong fics, which draws you into the story and makes you feel like you'll really seeing it happen. And the more complicated the plot, the better. Hope to hear what you readers think. You can email me if you've got many ideas to share, to long to post on the review board. My email, once again, is kath_windy@yahoo.com

Some fluff between YY + Sakura. A scene on Touya. Humor, at least I think its funny. Enjoy! 

Another lousy title for the chapter, sorry. 

Many thanks to all readers who has spend some time in reviewing my story, hope to get more reviews soon!

Sakura was having a drink after the delicious lunch she had with Yuki when she had a daydream. 

_Sakura………Sakura…….._

**_Someone is calling my name? A male voice?_**

_I finally found you………….after all these centuries……._

**_Who are you?_**

****

_You will remember me soon…….soon, my love. _

"Sakura-chan? SAKURA-CHAN!" Yuki was calling Sakura frantically. He saw her went into a daze as her eyes blanked out, and it scared the hell out of him. Yue was terrified too. They had never seen this look on Sakura's face, a look that's like someone sucked out her soul and left the shell of her body behind. 

Senses came back to her eyes as she snapped her attention to Yuki. "Huh? Yuki, what's wrong?" 

Yuki stopped shaking her shoulders and leaned back on his chair. For a moment, his heart had stopped beating. "You were in a daze, do you know?" 

"I was? Oh, yes there was someone…………someone calling me." She thought dreamily. "It was a man, he said that he had finally found me, after all these centuries. But when I asked him who he is, he just said………." Sakura paused, slightly embarrassed to tell Yuki that she had a daydream about a strange man calling her 'my love'. 

"What did he say, Sakura-chan?" 

"He said I will remember him soon." She blushed and decided to leave out the part about 'my love', thinking it's not important anyway. 

"Hmmm, strange, I didn't hear anything." Yuki scratched his head in bafflement. 

"Ah, it's just a silly daydream, let's forget about it." Sakura pushed it out of her mind as she planned what to do next. Yuki seemed to accept her suggestion, but Yue had doubts.

_Yue's thoughts: Why did Sakura have such a daydream all of a sudden? Who is that man? Sakura has magic, so any dream she has, got to be taken seriously, for they may be a prediction of the future, or some sort of warning. I better stay close to her and protect, just in case. _

_Yuki's thoughts: Yue, is it so serious? Maybe it's really just a daydream. But you are right, we should stick to Sakura in case anything happens to her. _

"Yuki, where should we go next?" Sakura's sweet voice broke into their thoughts. 

Yuki gave her question some thought before suggesting, "Sakura-chan, do you want to watch a movie?" 

"Sure! But what show do you want to watch?" 

"There's one on a couple who's been separated by death, and the man promised to find his love in their next life, and to wait for her no matter how many years it takes. It's a pretty touching and interesting show, I heard some of my classmates talking about it weeks ago."

"Ok Yuki, it sounds good. Let's go!" Sakura was pretty excited, as this is the first time she watching a movie with Yuki. She's so happy that she forgot all about rushing home after lunch to meditate. Though she's sure to remember it later that night and lose some sleep over it. 

They bought two tickets at the local cinema and went inside. It was dark, but they noticed there was nobody else in the cinema. Probably because it's still school time. Choosing two plush seats somewhere in the middle, they sat and waited for the show to start. There were surprisingly no commercials, and the movie began pretty quickly. It started in the olden days of Japan, and featured beautiful couples that were newly wed. Unknown to the wife, the man was a spy, working for a group of rebels who wanted to overthrow the ruler of that time. He was discovered, and the ruler sent assassins to kill the man and his wife. The parting scene where the wife died and the man was also slowly dying caused Sakura to cry. 

She leaned on Yuki's shoulders and sniffed. Yuki was touched by the show, but he wasn't crying. He offered Sakura his handkerchief, which she took gratefully. Sakura dabbed away her tears, and then pocketed his hanky. To comfort her, Yuki put an arm around her shoulders, and patted her affectionately. She slipped her small hand into the crook of Yuki's other arm, and snuggled up to him. Smiling, Yuki rested his head on hers, taking in the faint cherry-blossom scent that clings to her hair. Sakura sighed in contentment, forgetting all about the show, and focused on the nice feeling of cuddling up to Yuki. 

"If I die, I too, promise to look for you and Yue in my next life, no matter how many years it will take me." Sakura promised, her words inspired by those in the movie. 

Yuki tightened his hold on her. Like Yuki, Yue was also moved, but depressed at the thought of Sakura dying and leaving him all alone. 

_Ne, Yue, will we ever die?_

_No Yuki, we are immortal. Unless Sakura loses her powers to sustain us, then we would fade. But if………if Sakura……..dies, we will once again fall into slumber, sealed in the book and waiting for our next master. _

_If Sakura-chan dies, I don't want to wake up till I see her in her next life. Promise me Yue, let me sleep if that happens. _

_Yes Yuki, I promise. Though I know its not possible, but I hope, I hope Sakura never dies and never leave us._

_I have the same wish as you, but its inevitable. And Yue?_

_Yes?_

_You said Sakura-chan's powers sustain us, is that why she looked tired all the time recently?_

_That's right. But she seems to be looking better now. I guess her powers did increase rapidly. Soon, she won't be experiencing tiredness so easily. Don't worry Yuki._

_Ok, but you worry more than I do._

_Shut up Yuki, the movie is ending._

During the conversation Yuki had with Yue in their minds, Sakura had fallen asleep. Spending the entire night worrying about her confusion after kissing Eriol has taken its toil on her. Yuki heard a soft snore from Sakura and smiled. He placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered, "And we promise to wait for you, Sakura-chan, no matter how long it takes for you to find us again." 

Sakura seemed to hear his words through her sleep, and mumbled, "Arigatou….."

The show ended without both of them knowing the ending. As the lights came back on, Sakura yawned and stretched her arms in the air. "Huh? It's over?"

Yuki grinned and teased her, "Yes, but since the movie put you to sleep, it's not so bad missing the ending."

"Hooeeeee! It's not boring! Just that I was so tired………." She gave in to the urge of another sleepy yawn. 

"Are you so tired because of us? Because you got to push yourself hard to increase your powers to sustain us?" Yuki asked seriously.

"Ah! No, of course not, don't worry." Sakura tried to reassure Yuki.

"Yue told me about it already. Sakura-chan, please don't push yourself too hard. My heart pains when I see the dark rings beneath your tired eyes, and I noticed you have lost a little weight." Yuki caress her cheeks as he spoke, then suddenly drew her into a strong embrace.

"If anything happens to you, if you should suffer, I'd rather I disappear than to cause you hurt!" Yuki professed fiercely. 

"Oh Yuki! Please don't think that! I will never want you to disappear! IF you were gone, I wouldn't want to stay here by myself! If anything happens to you or Yue, _then_ I will really suffer." 

"And Yuki, I'm sure you know by now from Yue that I'm not really a fifth-grader, that I came back from the future to fix a mistake, but somehow ended up stuck in my eleven year-old body." 

Yuki's eyes widened in surprise. "No, Yue didn't tell me that."

"Yes, my original age is fourteen, really." 

"Oh, I see. What mistake did you came back to correct?" 

Seeing that she's probably caused irrevocable changes to the future and no harm telling the person she loves the truth, she explained, carefully leaving the part out about Eriol. "Three years from now, I got the idea to split your mind from Yue's, giving you both two separate bodies. I was stupid not to realize then that you two are essentially the same person. Although both your future selves agreed to the idea, I am fully to blame, for if I haven't suggested it in the first place, I wouldn't have made the mistake."

To cut a long story short, she gave the crucial points of her tale. "Something went wrong with the process and my magic was greatly weakened, so much that I nearly died." She remembered how sick and weak she had felt then.

Yuki and Yue's heart clenched in fright, realizing how close they had come to lose her to death's claws. Yuki took her hands in his and gripped them securely.

"Then, to save me, Yue and Kero-chan gave their energy to me. Kero-chan is fine, but Yue…………Yue disappeared, having exhausted all his powers." At this, Sakura's breath sobbed. 

"So I used the Return card to get back to the point in time where I can stop myself from asking you and Yue about the dividing, but I messed things up again and ended here. My fifth-grade mind has resided to a corner while I dominate."

"Can't you return back to your time using your powers?" Yuki asked curiously.

"I don't have the power to do that, but a friend of mine can help me return to my time. But I rejected his help, preferring to stay here."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want Onni-chan to suffer the same fate he did!"

Yuki's eyes went wide with alarm. "To-ya?"

"Yes! Because I was too weak, my powers were too little to support you and Yue, so my brother had to sacrifice all his powers to help! It's all my fault!" Sakura buried her head in hands and weep.

_I see, no wonder Sakura had wanted to stay here in the past. And that explains why she's desperately trying to raise her magic. _

_But Yue, I didn't know that To-ya has powers._

_Yes, he does, didn't you know that he's able to see and sense things that normal people can't? I suspect he already knows the real us when he befriended you. _

_Yes, I see now. No wonder To-ya wasn't surprised to see our transformation just now. I think he realizes my nature even before I did. That's why he's my best friend! To think that he's actually willing to give up his powers for me! Ah To-ya, I'm so grateful to have a wonderful friend like you. _

_And if you have finished rejoicing, please console Sakura._

_Oh, sorry. _ 

"Sakura-chan, please don't cry! It's not your fault at all, things just happen." Yuki gathered her into his arms again, and patted soothingly on her head. 

"No, it is MY fault. But I wouldn't let it happen a second time, don't you worry. I WILL be strong enough to sustain both of you, I never want you two to go through the pain of fading into non-existence ever." Sakura vowed with determination.

"But Sakura-chan, please don't push yourself too hard, we don't want to see you suffer too." 

"Hai, I promise." 

The staff of the cinema called out to them, "Hey, the movie ended a long time ago, if you have finished making-out, please leave!" 

They blushed and apologized profusely. As they walked out of the cinema, Yuki asked Sakura in a teasing tone, "So you are really fourteen? Mentally?" 

"Yes? Why?" Sakura was baffled. 

"If you are fourteen, then I can kiss you more next time then." He grinned mischievously. 

"Hoeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Sakura smacked his arm playfully. "Yuki! I had no idea you are so naughty!" 

"No? Then I should show you more often." And in the bright daylight, on the streets full of people, he lifted her in his arms and placed a full kiss on her lips. 

"YUKI!!!!" A furious voice rang out.

The couple broke off their kiss and turned around.

"To-ya!" "Onni-chan!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!" He stomped towards them and shouted angrily, drawing the curious stares of a few passer-bys. 

_OH-oh._

"Nothing…..Onni-chan….." Sakura stammered.

"Sakura-chan, let me explain, don't worry." Yuki stood to face his best friend To-ya. "To-ya, it is exactly like you see it. I kissed Sakura-chan because I love her, and she loves me. Aren't you going to give us your blessings?"

Touya jaws dropped, nearly touching the pavement. 

Sakura slipped her hand into Yuki's and stated, "Yes, I love Yuki, and we _were _kissing. We probably will be doing more of that in the future too." She was a little defiant, unhappy with his over-reaction. On second thoughts, seeing that Touya is still in shock, she added. "Maybe not only kissing, but other things as well."

Yuki squeezed her hand as he tried to stop a laugh that's threatening to burst out of his already twitching mouth. He had always known that his best friend To-ya has a sister-complex, and wanted to protect her innocence from all of the opposite sex. And now, Sakura is telling him that she is going to do more kissing with him, and maybe **other things **as well. _Ah, To-ya, I bet you don't know that you are not dealing with an eleven year-old, but a teenager, as Sakura is really fourteen years-old? Yue, does he knows about the truth?_

_No, I don't think so. Sakura has kept many things to herself since she came back, maybe because she doesn't want us to worry, or to change the future._

_I see. Well, then I better keep quiet about this fact too. _

Touya finally recovered his voice. Glancing around him, he noticed the increasing curious stares of the passer-bys and he grunted. "Let's talk about this in my house." The trio walked in awkward silence back to the Kinomoto residence. After settling down on the sofa in the living room, Touya glared at the couple before him.

"Now talk. When did this start?" 

"If you mean when we started going out, it's just a couple of days ago." Yuki answered before Sakura could open her mouth. 

"I mean when you started having……..feelings for her. I know Sakura always had a crush on you, but I didn't know you return her feelings." Touya seemed to have calm down significantly.

Yuki scratched his head absent-mindedly. "I honestly can't remember………maybe since before the holidays started, after my archery match."

_That's when I woke up and fought Sakura during the judgment of the suitable mistress for the Clow cards._

_Yes, I think my feelings for her changed from that day onwards._

Touya caught the weird expression on Yuki as he was silent for a while. "Yuki?"

"Sorry! I was talking to my other self."

"The fellow with the wings?" 

Yuki smiled. "Yes, that's him. His name is Yue." 

"I know. Look, does HE share your feelings for Sakura?"

"Yes, definitely, if not more." Yuki confirmed. 

"Hey! Don't talk around me as if I'm not here!" Sakura burst out, when the two males started in their conversation, ignoring her. 

"Shut up, Kaijuu, I'll talk to you soon enough." Touya shot a glare at Sakura. She pouted and fumed silently.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, I didn't mean to do that. Please don't be angry." Yuki apologized, and patted her hands. 

Sakura lost her anger in a second. "Of course I'm not angry, Yuki." She smiled sweetly at him, but glowered at Touya. 

Yuki chuckled quietly at her reaction to her brother. Their cute little squabbles have always amused him. He couldn't resist but whisper into Touya's ears. "Sister complex." And quickly straightened up when Touya appeared that he wanted to deck him on his head. 

"Yuki, you sure about him? I mean, I believe you, of course, but I don't know that winged guy."

"His name is Yue. Yes, I'm VERY sure that he loves Sakura like I do, maybe even more." 

Touya nodded grudgingly. "Fine." He leaned forward and spoke softly so that Sakura can't hear him. "But if HE bullies my sister, there'll be hell to pay." Yuki smirked. "You know Touya, HE really does have a name. Besides, we are actually the same person, and I would never ever make Sakura-chan sad." 

"Ano, what are you two whispering about?" 

"None of your business, Kaijuu." 

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh! Kaijuu ja nai!" Sakura finally lost it, and stamped HARD on Touya's foot. She smiled with satisfaction when he winced in pain. Yuki sniggered. 

"So why did you skip school today?" Touya asked, after the pain in his foot subsided. 

"I…….eh………." Sakura couldn't possibly tell him that it's because she was worrying about how Eriol had kissed her, so she bit her lip and frowned.

Touya, glad to see her spirits restored, decided to not press her for an answer. He ruffled her hair as he complained, "Ah, I got to explain things to your school if you don't want to let Otousan know." 

Sakura looked at him thankfully, but he continued, "I will only help you if you take over my chores for five times." 

"FINE, OK!" She shouted, but inwardly, she was relieved for his understanding. 

"So today will be your turn to prepare dinner, ne?" Touya looked pointedly at Sakura, who glared at him for a few moments before her shoulders slumped in defeat. 

"Sakura-chan, I'll help with the cooking." Yuki smiled.

"Arigatou, Yuki!" 

"Wait Yuki!" Touya called after his friend, while Sakura was already heading into the kitchen.

"Yes To-ya?"

Touya seemed uneasily, as if struggling with himself before he asked, "So, you guys just do ah…….ah…….K-k-k-i?"

"You mean kissing?" Yuki supplied helpfully.

"Yes!" Touya look embarrassed. 

"Yes, we just do kissing." Yuki replied, grinning at his best friend's discomfort. He knows how much it's costing Touya to ask him this kind of questions.

"And not…….not the other things huh?" 

"Nope." Touya started to breath a sigh of relief but froze when Yuki continued, "Not yet."

"Hey! She's still young you know! And…….."

"And you have a sister complex." Yuki smirked. "Don't worry To-ya, I won't do anything until she's ready, don't you trust me?" Yuki smiled angelically.

Touya scowled. "Ya, fine, whatever. Just make sure that your other self doesn't try anything funny with my sister."

"Ok To-ya. I better go help Sakura-chan with preparing the dinner." 

Touya slumped on the couch, thinking about the new couple. "My best friend and my sister, eh? I suppose if it's going to be someone, it must as well be Yuki." His dark eyes narrowed as he remembered that cool character sharing Yuki's body. "Yue huh? You better treat my sister well, or you'll get it from me." 

Meanwhile, an orangey stuffed toy that had been eavesdropping since the three of them came home was thinking about the same thing. "Yue, you better not hurt Sakura's feelings or I'll make sure you suffer!" 

However, the person most likely to cause Sakura suffering is not Yue, but a certain someone who has been waiting to be with her even since before Clow created the guardians and his cards. 

His name is……………_Kuro._

TBC


	13. Chapter 13: Protecting Sakura

A/N: Thanks to Moon Blossom, Mevneriel and Mistress Sakura for reviewing my previous chapter. 

Ok, stupid name for the new character, Kuro, which means Black. I'm sorry, my Japanese sucks totally. But I figured that someone who's going to put Sakura through some ordeals couldn't possibly be the bearer of light, so the name 'Black' seems suitable enough. 

Ahhhhhhhh, something bad happening to Sakura this chapter, nothing to do with Kuro yet. He'll just appear in dreams for this and the next few chapters.

Another kissing scene between Yue and Sakura. You know, my brain juices are drying up trying to come up with all these kissing and mushy stuff when I have no experience at all. Sigh, so please pardon me if it's not realistic or whatever.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: PROTECTING SAKURA

After they had a great dinner at the Kinomoto Residence, Yuki left and Touya went straight up to his own room. Sakura was so happy that she couldn't sleep. "Haaayaaan!" Thinking about the enjoyable time she had with Yuki in the cinema, and the fact that her onni-chan has accepted their relationship. 

"Sa-ku-ra! Why didn't you tell me huh?" Kero-chan demanded.

"Tell you what?" Sakura had no idea that Kero-chan eavesdropped on them earlier, and now knows that she and Yuki/Yue are a couple. 

"That you are together with Yukito and Yue." 

"Hoeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! How did you know?" Sakura put her hands on her red cheeks. 

"The almighty guardian beast has his ways." Kero-chan smirked.

"OH, I ah……..it just happened recently anyway….heh heh heh." She cracked a weak smile and sat on her bed. Hugging a pillow to her, she confided in Kero-chan.

"And I had some problems of my own recently, so I didn't really wanted to talk." Seeing Kero-chan's worried expression, she quickly added. "But I'm fine now! Really!" 

"I'm glad you are all right now Sakura, but………" A serious look came into Kero-chan's beady eyes. "But WHERE'S MY DINNER????" 

"I forgot! It's in the fridge, let me get it for you!" Sakura bounded downstairs, taking two steps at a time. The phone rung, and she picked it up. "Moshi Moshi, Kinotomos Residence."

"Sakura-chan! Are you alright? Why didn't you come to school today?" 

"Oh Tomoyo-chan! I'm fine, don't worry. Ah…..I just skipped school and went out with Yuki."

"Yuki? You mean Yukito-san? OH! I see! So you finally told him how you felt?" Tomoyo went all-starry eyed at the thought that her best friend had skipped school to be with the one she loves. So…..romantic.

"Hai! And…..ah…..he returns my feelings." Sakura blushed prettily. 

"Omedetou! That's great, Sakura-chan! I'm glad you are with the one you love, and happy now. I'm also relieved that you are all right."

"I'm sorry to have made you worry, Tomoyo-chan."

"It's ok, but I'm not the only who's worried about you………" Tomoyo's conversation was interrupted by the doorbell ringing at Sakura's home.

"Sorry Tomoyo-chan, someone's at the door, I'll see you tomorrow at school, ja ne!" Sakura hung up the phone and rushed to the door.

"Syaoran-kun!" She was surprised to see him at her doorstep, looking uneasy and fidgeting. 

"I……..I…….I just want to see if you are ok." He muttered shyly. Pacing in his room for almost two hours before making up his mind to visit Sakura, he was now nervous all over again.

"Oh, I'm fine! Thank you for being concerned, Syaoran-kun." She smiled and invited him inside.

"It's ok! Ah……I better go home now! Bye!" He turned to leave, but she stopped him. "Wait Syaoran-kun, I'll walk with you part of the way." She grabbed a coat and closed the doors. Through the window upstairs, Touya shouted, "Hey Sakura! Where are you going with that Chinese Gaki!" Though it was dark, Touya had perfect vision when it comes to anything concerning Sakura.

"I'm just going out for a while, don't worry! And his name is Syaoran!" Sakura grabbed Syaoran's hands and ran before Touya could protest. 

Syaoran turned red in the face when Sakura took his hands. "Where are we going?"

"If you have some time, could we go to the park for a while?" Sakura asked.

"Ah, ok….."

They sat on the swings and Sakura started. "I just want to thank you for saving me that day, when I fainted on the sidewalk, and also to thank you for comforting me." 

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing….." 

"You are always like this, acting all grumpy, but is actually very kind." She beamed at him. He flushed. 

"I know, because when I was collecting the Clow cards, you were always by my side to help me and encourage me. You are really a good friend, Syaoran-kun." 

"Ah……….." Syaoran was embarrassed; he didn't know what to say. 

"And if you ever need my help, Syaoran-kun, please don't hesitate to ask, ok?" She turned beseeching green eyes onto him. He nodded. "Arigatou, Sakura." 

Her eyes grew wide and she flung her arms around him. "You finally called me by my name! I'm so happy!" Sakura was overjoyed. Since she had returned to the past, she missed the close friendship she had with him in the future. 

Blood rushed up to Syaoran's head as he nearly fainted. Then his face resumed its normal look, and he looked intensely at Sakura. "If, if you are ever troubled by anything again, please look for me, and I'll help with whatever I can."

"Arigatou, Syaoran-kun!" She beamed, her eyes twinkling with happiness. 

They said their goodbyes to each other, and Sakura walked home quickly, remembering she still has to get dinner for Kero-chan, who is probably having a tantrum by now.  

Warning: Some bad stuff ahead………Should be PG-rated or higher

Scroll down to the next divider if you don't want to/can't read this.

It was rather late, and the streetlights weren't much help as a few had short-circuited. Walking pass a dark-alley, Sakura suddenly felt rough hands grabbing her into it. She tried to scream, but her mouth was covered. Kicking and struggling, she tried to turn and see who is dragging her into the alley, but it was too dark. Dimly, she could sense two male auras holding on to her. Though their auras were weak, as they probably have no magic, they seemed to be physically strong. Breathing through her nose, Sakura could smell the sweaty and sour scent of the two men. She gagged, as the hand over her mouth tightened. Another hand was bruising her limbs with their vicious hold, and she was hurting. The men laughed cruelly, not believing their luck at finding a young piece of meat that was foolish enough to walk home alone in a dark street. Sakura's heart cried with terror when she heard a ripping sound. They were tearing open her white cotton-shirt viciously. Calloused hands roamed over her smooth legs brutally, while she was still being restrained. A nasty voice panted out in excitement, "Hey little girl, wanna play?" His companion sneered meanly. "Yeah, I bet you will like playing with us!" Sakura tried to bite the hand that's over her mouth, and she drew blood. "Bitch!" She was slapped hard across the face, so hard that her teeth banged against each other. Fighting with all her might only seemed to make the men angrier, as they threw a few punches to her stomach. As she felt her skirt being lifted, she shrieked in her mind. _NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! YUE!!!!! HELP ME!_

Yuki had just reached home and finished taking a bath when Yue felt that Sakura's in danger. Yuki transformed as Yue took over, and flew in the sky, searching for her aura. Her aura was transmitting highly distressful signals, shock, fright and terror. Yue was trembling with picnic, hoping that he'll find Sakura in time. His silver eyes narrowed when he finally found her specific location. He swooped down, and what he saw made his blood run cold. Two burly men were looming over Sakura, hitting her like a punch bag. Her eyes were wide with pain and horror, shirt torn. 

The two men were about to start on their real motives on Sakura when they heard an inhumane and carnal cry that made their hairs stand at the back of their necks. Whipping around, and forgetting about Sakura for a moment, they saw an angel, an angel that had the eyes of the devil that seemed to be burning with the flames of hell. Yue was merciless; he wanted to kill the two evil humans who dared to hurt his Sakura. He threw shards of crystals at them, and the two villains shouted in pain as their body were cut by millions bits of glasses. They ran out of the alley as fast as they could, and Yue wanted to give chase. But Yuki held him back, wanting to see how Sakura is doing. Yue was jolted out of his blind rage, and hurried over to Sakura. 

Yuki's and Yue's heart shattered when they saw her lying on her side, arms and legs hanging lifelessly on her as she laid like a broken doll. Her emerald eyes were glassed over in shock, tears glimmering in them. Her lips were caked in blood, and they were bruises all over her face, neck, arms and legs. The white blouse she was wearing was now in tatters, showing her cotton slip that was smudged with streaks of blood. She didn't cry, didn't make any sound. Her mind was blanked. She was scared out of her wits when the men started to lift her skirt, and her mind had rejected the reality with her final cry for help to Yue.  

"Sakura." Yue whispered brokenly, his voice hoarse. He didn't dare to touch her, for fear of hurting her frail form. She seemed so fragile that one touch would make her crack into a thousand pieces. There was no respond. Sakura couldn't hear anything, trapped in the horror of her mind. 

_Go and carry her out of here, Yue. We need to get her home quickly. She must be really hurt, we won't know if we keep still!_

__

Yue nodded, and gently gathered her into his arms. Looking down at her unblinking and blank stare, Yue felt a small part of him shrivel up and die. He flew at the speed of light back to her house. Touya had sensed that Sakura was in danger, and was dashing out of the house when he saw Yue landing on the porch, carrying her. 

"What happened to Sakura??" Touya had difficulty breathing, when a light shone on Sakura and showed her in a very bad shape. 

"Let's get her in first." Yue had no patience to explain anything; he wanted to make sure Sakura is not badly hurt. Touya nodded and went to get the medical kit. Yue put her carefully onto the couch in the living room, and kneeled down beside her. "Sakura…….please, say something." Yue said in a tortured tone.

Again, she gave him a blank stare, not speaking. "Damn it, the medical lotion's all gone!" Touya cursed. "I have to get some from the pharmacy, you take care of her." And he ran out of the house. 

Yue heard the door slammed, and turn his attention back to Sakura. She was still in shock, her breathing getting lighter and softer. "Sakura!!!" He shook her, wanting to wake her, to get some response from her. Feeling her shoulders grabbed by two hands, she snapped out of her trance and started struggling, thinking it was the two villains. 

"NO! NO NO NO! Let go of me!" 

"Sakura, it's me, Yue!"

But Sakura was trapped in her own nightmare, and couldn't hear him. Yue tried to hug her, to assure her that it's all right now, but she fought even harder as she felt him pressing his body to hers.

"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" A sob caught at her throat, and she froze. Then she pleaded as she cried, "Please don't hurt me……please…..please………"

Yue was in agony, he could feel her anguish washing over him in great waves. Yue sent comforting signals through his silver aura to Sakura. It worked. She calmed down and allowed him to embrace her. He murmured soothingly as he held her in her arms, and wrapped his wings protectively around her. Sakura let out the tears she's been keeping in torrents, sobbing brokenly as if she would never stop. She has gotten over her shock, but now she felt pain, and the horror of what_ nearly_ happened to her made her shiver. If Yue had not saved her in time, she would have been violated. Feeling her shiver, Yue tightened his hold. 

She finally calmed down and lifted her head from Yue's chest. "Thank you." 

"Sakura…….I should have been there earlier, I shouldn't have left your side and gave those two evil beings a chance to hurt you. I……I have failed you." His head bowed in shame and guilt, as his wings folded his back.

She cupped her hands on his pale face. "No, it's not your fault. I was the one stupid enough to walk on a dark street alone. Don't worry………..I'm fine now." 

Yue shook his head, not able to forgive himself. Sakura saw his emotions clearly, and forced him to look into her eyes. "NO. Don't blame yourself. Please." She felt Yue was hurting more than her. Wanting to comfort him and show him that she doesn't blame him at all, Sakura kissed him. At the same time, she wanted to seek comfort in his lips, to feel protected in his arms. 

Yue was surprised, but responded fervently. He had been so scared when Sakura looked at him with those lifeless blank eyes, thinking that he had lost her forever. Sakura is his life now, and if anything happens to her, he wouldn't be able to carry on. He felt her forgiveness, love and comfort in the kiss, and returned one of his own. Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her closer, so that their clothes were the only space separating them. Yue opened his mouth over hers, sucking her delectable lips lovingly, caressing them with his soft tongue in short strokes. Shifting smoothly, he brushed his lips tenderly over her face, avoiding the bruising parts, careful not to hurt her. His eyes shone with love and reverence, like he's worshipping his goddess. A hand tangled into her honey chocolaty hair as the pads of his fingers rubbed over her scalp in slow circles. His other hand rested on the back of her small neck, enjoying the feel of her supple skin. At the back of Sakura's, Yue and Yuki's minds feverish with passion, they could barely register a sound coming from the entrance and someone clearing his throat rather loudly. 

"AHEM." Touya had rushed home after getting the medical supplies, worried sick about Sakura, but found the couple making-out on the sofa. He was torn between concern for his sister, and the anger at Yue for kissing her. 

The two finally broke apart, with Yue looking slightly flushed, and Sakura blushing like mad. An unfathomable expression covered Yue's embarrassment. He stood up and took a couple of steps back, leaning against the wall and facing both Sakura and Touya. 

Touya gave Yue a glare, before getting to Sakura's side. "Are you ok?" 

"Hai! Daijoubu!" She tried to smile but winced in pain instead. Touya saw this and tended to her wounds as best as he could. He grimaced at the bruises that are already turning purplish-blue. And his eyes widened in horror at the state of her clothes, now that he got a close look. Sakura suddenly realized her shirt was torn, and all that covers her top body now is a thin piece of white cotton slip. She hurriedly cross her arms over her chest and blushed. As her arms came up, Touya saw scratches and small cuts on them. He frowned, and said, "Take off your clothes."

Yue's head snapped around, staring unbelievingly at him. Sakura was shocked at his request. "Hooooooooooooooe!! Onni-chan!" 

Touya's expression grew serious, as he explained. "You are badly hurt, and I don't know how many more wounds you have hidden by your clothes."

"But I'm a girl!!! And….." And Yue is here, thought Sakura shyly. 

"There's nothing I haven't seen before anyway. I watched you grow up, and even bathed you when you were younger, remember?" 

"But, But…." _BUT I AM A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD! _Sakura wanted to scream. She took a deep breath and said. "Look, I'm fine. The only other wounds on me that you can't see are the ones on my stomach." She lifted her arms up and showed him the bruises on her stomach where the men had punched her. Both Yue and Touya were horrified at the wide array of bruises that were spread all over her midriff. They were a colorful mix of red, blue, green and purple. Sakura saw their expression and cracked a joke. "It's like rainbow, huh?" Obviously, they don't find her joke funny. Touya continued to take care of her, while asking what had really happened to her. 

Haltingly, she related her terrifying experience. In the comfort of her home with her love and her brother caring and protecting her, she no longer feels fearful. But Yue and Touya were not feeling the same way as her. They were frightened, then furious. And both of them realize that they had failed to protect her. Sakura yawned after she finished talking. "I'm going to wash up and sleep. Thanks Yue, for saving me." Yue nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He wanted to hit something, to smash his fists on the walls. He was in rage and he wanted to kill those two who hurt Sakura, but they escaped. Sakura was oblivious to this, as she was so tired from the ordeal. She went upstairs, and the two remained in the living room. 

Touya felt the same way as Yue, only that he wished he had stopped Sakura from leaving the house so late at night. Then he remembered that Sakura was supposed to be with that Chinese Gaki. He muttered angrily, "Stupid Chinese gaki, he should have walked Sakura home." Yue caught his words and asked, "Li-Syaoran? She was with him just now?" 

"Yes, that brat came to look for Sakura and they went for a walk. I should have followed them…..but I didn't…….." 

Yue's eyes narrowed. _So it's that kid's fault. IF he had not come to look for Sakura at night, she wouldn't have gone out._

_Hey Yue, I don't think it's his fault; it's just something unfortunate that nobody wishes it would happen. Stop blaming yourself and others. The thing we should do now is to stay close to Sakura, and protect her from now on._

_Yue, can I talk to Touya?_

_Yes._

There was a flash of white light as Yue wrapped his wings around himself, and Yuki took over. 

"Yuki." Touya greeted his best friend listlessly. 

"To-ya. Don't blame yourself." Yuki smiled kindly at him, reading his mind like an open book. 

Touya sighed, glad to have the company of Yuki instead of that weird fellow, Yue. "Thanks Yuki, but I can't help it." Yuki walked to him and patted his shoulders. "I know."

"To-ya, I have a favor to ask." 

"What is it, Yuki?"

"You know about Yue, and you probably know that all my memories before meeting you and Sakura are created, right?" Touya nodded.

"So I'm actually living alone, and not with my grandparents, since they don't really exist." Touya gestured for Yuki to continue.

"Yue and I want to protect Sakura." He blurted out finally.

"I know, but what is it you want me to do?" Touya was puzzled, not sure what favor Yuki wants.

"I want to move in with you guys, so that I can protect her better." 

"WHAT?" __

_WHAT are you saying, Yuki?_

_Yue, this is the best way for both of us to protect Sakura-chan, isn't it?_

_I suppose………but I don't think HE will agree._

"Touya, I know you have a spare room, and if it's all right with your dad, I would really like to move in here."

Touya scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose I can talk to my dad about this, when he comes back tomorrow. But no promises ok? The final decision lies with him."

"Thanks To-ya! I knew you would understand!" Yuki beamed at him. 

"Yeah, whatever. Since it's so late, you might as well stay overnight here."

"Hai, arigatou!" Yuki followed Touya out of the living room. 

_I can't believe he actually agreed to your idea._

_To-ya's protective of his sister, but he trusts me. And he knows two persons protecting her are better than one._

_But he doesn't seem to trust me._

_Oh, don't worry, he'll come around soon enough. _

_I don't worry, and I couldn't care less about what he thinks._

_Okay, whatever you say, Yue. _

Yuki giggled as Yue snorted. 

Meanwhile, in Sakura's room, Kero-chan was oblivious to the whole incident, having fallen asleep after waiting a looooooooong time for his dinner. Sakura slept, and had another dream.

SAKURA'S DREAM

"Doko…" Sakura finds herself in a strange place. "Eh? Petals?" Petals were swirling around her, and she looked around. She was in a chapel decorated with many beautiful flowers. There was nobody in the chapel but her. Suddenly the door of the chapel opened and bright sunlight poured into the chapel. She used her hand to shield her eyes from the sudden assault of light. Peeking between her eyes, she saw a figure standing at the entrance. 

"Who?" Sakura's eyes widened as the mysterious person drew closer to her. It was a tall handsome young man, who has long red hair loosely tied in a braid. Though his hair was beautiful as it was silky and shiny with many color highlights, Sakura was more captivated with his eyes. They were the color of champagne, golden and warm liquid eyes filled with emotions. He was wearing a dark formal suit, one that sets off the many highlights of russet and gold that glinted from his hair in the sunlight. 

"My love." His voice was soft and gentle, like a whisper of the wind, caressing and surrounding Sakura seductively. She blushed, and looked down. She got a shock to see herself wearing a wedding gown. It was beautiful, with lots of lace and made of pure silk, but the color was wrong. The gown was red, a deep crimson red that reminds her of blood. She frowned, feeling a little uneasy. 

Tender hands cupped her chin and her head tilted up, once again looking into the stranger's eyes. She was drowning in them, and try as she might, she couldn't tear her gaze from his mesmerizing eyes. He bent down, getting closer and closer to her lips…………..

"No!" Sakura jerked back just in time to avoid his kiss. "Who are you?" Again, despite the warm enchanting eyes and handsome face, unease flooded into her. 

The stranger smiled, patiently, and a little sadly. "Don't you remember me? And our promise?"

"No, I don't even know who you are!" Sakura was feeling a sense of creepiness wrapping its tendrils around her heart. 

"I'm Kuro……………..your love." He stated.

"Huh? But I really don't know you, I have never met you before!" Sakura protested.

"You have forgotten. But you will remember. And then, we can finally be together." His smile twisted, more predatory now.

Sakura backed away from him, and her hands went up to her neck to look for her key. But her hand snapped behind her back, held by invisible straps. Panic started growing in her mind, as she struggled. Blood spurted from her wrists as the invisible ropes tore into her skin, causing her to scream in agony. There was a cruel laugh from Kuro, before everything faded into darkness.

Touya and Yuki had heard her blood-curdling screams and rushed into her room spontaneously. Kero-chan had been trying to wake Sakura up when the two burst in, and he quickly pretended to be a stuffed toy. Sakura suddenly sat up in bed abruptly, as Touya and Yuki reached her side. She panted in short, uneven breaths, cold sweat casting a thin layer of gleam on her forehead. 

"Sakura! Are you all right? What happened?" Touya and Yuki asked together.

She shook her head, and remembering the last part of her dream, she held her hands up. To their horror, her wrists had thin red lines and were bleeding. She winced in pain, while Touya went to get the medical kit for the second time that night. Yuki cradled her hands and examined them. 

Ask her what happened. Did someone attack her just now? 

"Yue and I want to know what happened, Sakura-chan." 

Remembering only fragments of her dream, she replied. "I was in a dream, and there was a man………I can't remember his name. He told me…….that he is my love, and we made a promise to each other. Then there was pain in my hands, and I was struggling…….and finally I woke up."

Yuki frowned in confusion. "He said he's your love? Do you know him?"

"No, I have never seen him before in my life………but there was something about him that made me scared, very scared." 

Sakura's dreams mean more than we know, and it seems we have a new enemy that we have to protect her from. It's a wise choice you made, Yuki, in suggesting to move into this house.

Yuki nodded. "Don't be scared, Sakura-chan, we will protect you."

Touya entered the room and tended to her new wounds. "You can't go to school tomorrow, rest at home for a day or two."

"But I already missed school today!"

Touya put the antiseptic on her wrists non-too-gently, causing her distraction. "Ouch! Onni-chan! These are my hands, not a piece of meat ok!" 

"To-ya! Be more gentle ok?" Yuki scolded him lightly. He scowled, but followed his suggestion silently. After her wrists were bandaged, Sakura went back to sleep. Touya asked Yuki what happened to Sakura and he told him about the dream. He had a worried look, and said, "I'll convinced dad to let you move in as soon as possible." 

The next day, when Fujitaka got home, Touya spoke to him about Yuki's request. Leaving out as much details as he can yet still trying to sound convincing was difficult, but Touya pulled it off. Yuki moved his things to his new home after school, with the help of Touya. 

Sakura was alone at home with a fussing Kero-chan when she heard the doorbell rang. She was already feeling much better, her speed of recovery miraculous. Skipping down to open the door, she hummed a little. Touya had told her about Yuki moving in with them this morning, and she was overjoyed. Expecting Touya and Yuki at the door with Yuki's stuff, she flung open the door with enthusiasm. 

"Konnichiwa!"

"Sakura-chan! Konnichiwa!" Tomoyo greeted while Syaoran stuck his hands in his pockets and mumbled a hello. 

"Tomoyo-chan, Syaoran-kun! Please come in!" Sakura was happy to see them. She prepared some tea and brought it to the living room where they were all seated. When she settled down, Sakura noticed two pairs of eyes on her. "Huh?"

Her friends had all noticed her bruises, those on her face being the most obvious. Tomoyo rushed to Sakura's side and stared at her with worried eyes. "Sakura-chan! What happened to you!" Syaoran's sharp eyes narrowed as he searched subtly for any other injuries on her body. His expression was grim when he saw the cuts and scratches on her arms, the bandaged wrists, as well as the darkening bruised on her legs. 

"I'm fine, I'm fine!"  Sakura tried to assure her friends. 

"No you are not! You are badly hurt! Who did this to you?" Tomoyo asked. 

Seeing that Tomoyo wouldn't let her questions rest till she get some answers, Sakura launched right into her incidents, starting from last night's assault to the one from the dream.

Syaoran's expression quickly turned from horror to guilt when he realized that if he had sent her home, she wouldn't be hurt. 

Tomoyo was worried about Sakura, feeling helpless that she couldn't protect her.

The sound of the front door opening broke through the silence. "Oh, it must be Yuki and Onni-chan!" She was right, as Touya and Yuki stumbled into the living room with a few heavy boxes. Sakura rushed forward to help but was intercepted by Syaoran and Tomoyo. "You shouldn't assert yourself, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said as she held her down gently. Syaoran went to help Yukito with his load. 

Touya said, "Whew, I didn't know you had so much stuff, Yuki. Let me rest for a while first before moving them to your room."

Syaoran and Tomoyo froze. Sakura explained. "Oh, Yuki's going to be living with us from now on." Syaoran flushed, while Tomoyo hid a smug smile behind her hand. Syaoran mumbled something about going home and dashed out of the house. He couldn't believe that Yukito will be moving in with Sakura. He was so confused, feeling something close to jealousy. But towards whom? Yukito or Sakura?

Tomoyo dragged Sakura upstairs, eager to find out the latest development in her best friend's romance. "So you guys are living together now huh? Wow, how romantic!" Tomoyo's eyes twinkled with merry.

"Huh? Oh! It's nothing like that Tomoyo-chan! Yuki and Yue just want to protect me, that's all." 

"That's even more romantic! The knight-in-shining armor! Oh ho ho ho ho! And you two will be together almost 24 hours a day, besides the time you go to school!"

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura blushed.

Suddenly, Sakura and her two guardians sensed an aura. She recognized it as Eriol's, and remembered her mission to turn the Clow cards into Sakura cards. She told Tomoyo that there are some weird events she has to check out. Tomoyo held up a costume that she seemed to whip out of thin air and begged Sakura to wear it. It was a sleeveless, pink battle suit, with matching short pants and red ribbons placed strategically around. Remembering her promise to call Syaoran if anything strange occurs, Sakura quickly dialed his number. 

Together with Yue, Kero-chan and Syaoran, Sakura located the spot where Eriol's aura was the strongest. It was the fountain near the park, and currently isolated. She waited, as she couldn't remember which move Eriol would make this time. Syaoran sudden cry caught her attention. "Sakura! Run!" He was moving strangely, almost as if someone was controlling him. 

That's it! I remember now! Eriol was using some strings to control Syaoran. Ok, I need to change the water card and the sword card.

Sakura took out the water card and transformed it, then directed it to cast water around Syaoran so that she could see where are the strings. Meanwhile Syaoran was using one hand to suppress the other that was trying to attack her. Yue wanted to fight him, but Sakura told him no. She quickly transformed the sword card and cut away the strings manipulating Syaoran. He collapsed to a heap, but seemed to be all right. 

Sakura told the rest of them to go back first as she's got something to do. Yue refused, saying that he has to protect her. Sakura whispered something to Tomoyo and then said to the others, "I have to shop for some GIRL'S stuff with Tomoyo, ok? Besides, it's broad daylight now, hardly dangerous." Syaoran flushed, while Kero-chan nodded knowingly. Yue cast another uneasy look at Sakura before agreeing reluctantly. They left, and Sakura thanked Tomoyo for helping her.

"But Sakura-chan, what do you want to do alone?" Tomoyo asked curiously.

"Ah……….I………I can't tell you now, but I promise to explain everything to you next time, ok?" Tomoyo sighed, then nodded and left as well.

Sakura called out to the trees, "Hey Eriol-kun? You can come out now!"

Eriol jumped down and approached her, smiling. "Good work, Sakura…….." He frowned when he saw the injuries on her body.

"What happened?"

Sakura related the events all over again. She had wanted to ask Eriol about her dream, and that's why she had told the others to leave her. Eriol's hands clenched and unclenched, his only outward reaction towards Sakura's experiences. Inside, he was seething. 

"So what do you think, Eriol-kun?" Sakura's voice broke through the red haze of rage that was threatening to rob him of his sanity. 

"Ah, I'm not sure, but you have to be extra careful now. If I have his name, or a description of his appearance, I could probably find out more. But as it is, I can't."

"I'm sorry I couldn't remember any useful details." Sakura apologized.

"Hey, it's all right." Eriol took her hands in his, and looked into her eyes, trying not to grimace at the large bruise was covering her face. 

"I should apologize, for giving you trouble with the cards today when you are already injured. How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok! Daijoubu! I'm still a little sore, but I'm sure the pain will fade into nothing in no time!" She replied optimistically. 

Unknown to the two, Yukito was standing nearby, with Yue inside him and watching the two talk. Because Yue had been worried about Sakura even though she insisted she'll be fine, he had changed back into Yuki to follow her secretly. Since Yuki can hide Yue's aura, Sakura won't find out that he's following her, and protecting her just in case. 

Yue was shocked when a familiar aura approached Sakura. 

_An aura that's like Clow, yet it is not Clow. And the person who had Clow's aura is a boy of Sakura's age? Not possible, Clow had died! Unless……….unless Clow had reincarnated. Then why? Why did you not look for me, master? And how did Sakura know you? Is this all part of your plans again? Does Sakura knows? Is she part of the plot to deceive me? Why? _

And Yue's heart began to be clouded with doubts, doubts about what's the truth, even doubts about whether Sakura really loved him, or is it part of the plans. 

_Yue? What's wrong? Who's Clow? Oh……….your previous master? So is this dark-hair boy a reincarnation of Clow-san? I don't know why Sakura-chan is with him, but I'm sure they have their reasons. Sakura-chan will never hurt us; maybe it's just something she has to do, right? How can you doubt Sakura's love for you! She loves us! That's the one thing that's real, that's true and never going to change. You know that, right?_

_Yuki, how can I be sure? She didn't even tell me that she knows Clow's reincarnation! And who knows what they are planning? She doesn't trust me enough to tell me anything?_

_Oh, Yue……….._

_I'm going to sleep for a while Yuki, you take charge of things here. _

_Wait Yue!_

Yukito shouted Yue's name in his mind, but there was no response. "This is not good………." Yukito said to himself sadly. 

=====TBC=====

Sneak Preview: Next chapter's on the future, which is really bleak. If you want me to inform you of my updates, drop me an email. Thanks and pls review! 


	14. Chapter 14:Sakura's Future

A/N: First, **thanks** to all those wonderful reviewers.
    
    To Lau: Thanks for your encouragement, and chapter 13 was very angsty because I was in a lousy mood when I wrote that. I'm looking forward to your e-mail, and hope you enjoy this latest chapter too! 
    
    To Mistress Sakura: Arigatou! ^_^ I guess that's the part of Sakura being held down by those two evil men that had you on the edge of your seat, huh? I was inspired by to write that scene by a sad piece of news, that an innocent young girl in my neighborhood was raped while jogging in the morning near a reservoir. How sad…….
    
    To Kella: I'm glad you love my story, thanks so much, but sometimes I have doubts about it myself. Which I think most writers probably have at some time or another. That's why we need reviews! 
    
    Yes! Yuki's living with Sakura, and there'll probably be more romantic stuff coming. Yue is very sad and insecure about things, that's his character, but like what Sakura always says, "Everything will be alright, definitely!". I'm probably going to be a bit slower in updating now, because I'm having a block. A HUGE mental block. But no worries, the updates will still be within a few days, at most a week's time.
    
    To Alisa: A new reader! Thank you for your kind comments! My story probably going to be rather long, it's like halfway through only, but I'll try not to bore you all by dragging it. Yes, I think S+S fans are many because Sakura and Syaoran are about the same age, which seems to make them seem more compatible. But age doesn't matter in true love! Ne? That's why most of my fics are mainly S+Y/Y pairings or other weird pairings. I need praise, I hunger for them, I live for them! Please! *smiles with puppy-dog eyes* But what I want most is your honest opinions about the fic, so that I can improve and write even better ones! 
    
    All right! On with the ficcie!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: SAKURA'S FUTURE

------In Sakura's Time: The Future--------

Eriol woke up with a disoriented feeling, and rubbed his eyes. He had dreams of the past again, the past that Sakura was changing. Still in a half-daze, Eriol touched his lips, remembering the vivid scene where Sakura and he had kissed. He smiled, recalling how she had responded back. But when he remembered Sakura telling him that she loves Yukito and Yue more than him, he sighed, his smiling face changing into one of regret. Eriol regretted kissing Sakura, because he knew that their relationship will never grow to be more than friends, and this will make things difficult for Sakura, Yue and Yukito when the truth about their kiss is revealed. The fourteen year old Eriol knows this, but the eleven year old Eriol had ignored it and acted on his longing. 

With a start, Eriol suddenly realized that instead of being in Sakura's room, looking after her body, he was sitting in his favorite red chair, the one in _England._ "What am I doing here?" Eriol asked out loud. 

"You were having a nap, Master." Spinel Sun, sitting on the sofa next to him, answered, giving Eriol a strange look.

"A nap?" Eriol was bewildered. Again, the sense that something was disoriented, something was not right. "Where's Keroberos?" 

Spinel Sun was surprised at the question. "I don't know."

"But you were supposed to take care of him, right?" Eriol remembered that after Sakura's guardians had transferred their powers to save her, he had entrusted a weak Kero-chan to Spinel's care.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Master. Keroberos should be with his mistress, Sakura, right?" 

Eriol ignored Spinel as a cold chill went down his spine. He stood and excused himself from Spinel. Using his magic, he transported himself to Sakura's room. It was empty, no Sakura, no guardians. There was nobody in the house either. The furniture in Sakura's room had a thin layer of dust on them, and it seems like there has been no occupant in the room for some time. Eriol focused in locating Kero-chan or Yue, but to no avail. His eyes snapped open in alarm. What the hell was going on?

He decided to contact Sakura's friends, sensing that the future was altered, and wanting to find out what happened. First stop, Tomoyo. 

"Konichiwa, Daidouji-san please?"

"Hai, Tomoyo Daidouji speaking."

"It's me, Eriol."

"Eriol-kun? You are back in Japan?" Tomoyo's voice sounded surprised. 

"Yes, Tomoyo-chan, I need to talk to you, is this a good time?"

"Sure! But what brought you back here?" 

"It's about Sakura." Eriol's could almost hear the heavy silence on Tomoyo's end.

"Tomoyo-chan? Are you alright?" Eriol's concerned about Tomoyo's silence. Usually when the topic of Sakura comes up, Tomoyo would be the first to respond.

"I'm fine." Tomoyo's voice was unsettling cool and impassive, losing the initial friendliness it had just moments ago.

"I'm just wondering if you knew where Sakura is." Eriol asked carefully, feeling that he's treading on thin ice.

There was a sob as Tomoyo unleashed her fury at him. "You were gone! Gone for two years, and it's too late to be concerned about Sakura now!"

"Tomoyo-chan! Please calm down, I think we should meet to talk, please?" Eriol wanted to know what Tomoyo was so furious about, and her words about being too late caused Eriol to shiver involuntarily. 

"Meet me at the Penguin Park." Tomoyo's gave a curt reply and hung up. 

Eriol was at the Penguin Park waiting for Tomoyo, and wondering how the future has changed since Sakura went back to the past. Tomoyo arrived soon and Eriol was stunned at her appearance. She used to have shiny, beautiful hair, but now it hung listless and dead from her head. Her eyes, were worst, a dull purple that is void of all emotions. She had grown taller, but her body was frail looking. Eriol quickly covered his surprise with a friendly smile. Tomoyo just nodded and sat beside him, on one of the swings. 

"Tomoyo-chan, can you tell me about Sakura now?" Eriol asked, getting right to the heart of the matter. 

"Eriol-kun, I'm sorry I threw my temper at you just now. It's just that, the thought of Sakura, makes me feel so upset all over again." Tomoyo took a deep breath, and launched into her story.

"About two years ago, right after the time you returned to England, Sakura went missing, along with Kero-chan and Yue-san."

"WHAT!" Eriol was so shocked that his news that his usual calm demeanor was gone. 

"Yes, it was strange, because all of a sudden, without any warning, they just disappeared. My mum and I spent over a year to look for Sakura, but it was futile. Nobody knew what happened, and…………….and she's gone." Tomoyo's breath hitched as she tried to control her tears.

"I didn't want to give up hope, and I'm still having people to look for her. But Touya-san, he said…………..he said that he couldn't sense their auras anymore, not in this world." Tomoyo's tears finally flowed, and Eriol rushed to comfort her. 

Eriol pondered over the facts that Tomoyo had presented to him in silence. He was extremely worried about Sakura, and yet helpless to do anything. Out of the blue, one fragment of his dreams of the past came into his mind. About Sakura's strange dream, a man who claimed to be from her past, and her love. Could this have anything to do with the future being so different as it was? Eriol was determined to find out. The next person to contact would be……….Touya.

"Tomoyo-chan, I'm sorry, I love Sakura too, you know. But don't lose hope yet, Sakura's missing, but I'll try my best to find her." Tomoyo looked up to Eriol with hope in her eyes. 

"Do you know where Touya-san is?" 

"Yes, he's been working at the university, helping his dad with some research."

"Thanks Tomoyo-chan." Eriol stood to leave, when Tomoyo called out.

"Eriol-kun? Will you really find Sakura?" She asked, fixing an intense look at him.

"Yes, I will use everything, including my life if needed, to find her and bring her back safely." And in that instant, Eriol's usual mask dropped, allowing Tomoyo to see his resolve and seriousness in his promise. Tomoyo nodded, "Thank you." She's now filled with hope, something that she had not felt since Sakura went missing. Something in Eriol's eyes had told her that he loves Sakura as much as she did, and would risk all he has to get Sakura back.

Eriol hurried to the University to look for Touya. When Eriol saw Touya, he nearly couldn't recognize him. His aura, though strong, and what used to be a warm, compassionate feeling, it was now laced with bitterness and despair. Eriol could see from Touya's aura that Sakura had succeeded in the past, in keeping Touya from sacrificing his powers to sustain Yue and Yukito. But what happened to her later on? 

If Eriol had thought that Tomoyo's looking terrible, but it was nothing compared to Touya's appearance. He had dark rings under his eyes, hollow eyes that seemed to see nothing, like someone without a soul. His once athletic body was now gaunt, and he was dragging his feet and sloughing as he walked. Sensing another strong aura, Touya stiffened, and looked at Eriol.

"Touya." Eriol approached him slowly, giving Touya time to adjust his mind to seeing him. Eriol had seen a brief flash of hope in his eyes when he sensed his aura, perhaps thinking it was Sakura's or Yue's. 

"You." Touya nodded with disappointment. 

"What happened to Sakura, and I want the true story." Eriol stated.

"She's gone." Touya grimaced, as if it caused him pain to admit that.

"I know she's gone, but I want to know how." Eriol gestured for Touya to sit down with him beneath the tree, which ironically, is a Cherry blossom tree.

"Why do you care?" Snarling, he asked Eriol with bitterness. 

"Because I love her." Eriol replied simply and truthfully. Touya looked deep into Eriol's eyes, and finally nodded. He sat and stared up at the falling petals of the Sakura tree. It was one of his favorite spot whenever he takes a break, because it makes him feels that Sakura is still here with him.

"Two years ago, Sakura started having nightmares frequently, the kind that seemed to reach its claws into reality and injure her physically and emotionally. Yue, Keroberos and I took turns watching over her, but it was useless. We couldn't go into her dream to stop whoever was hurting her. And she refused to tell us who it was. At first, she did relate fragments of her dreams to us, but one night after she went out on her own and came home, she stopped. The change in her after that night was terrifying. She was withdrawn and quiet. It was as if she's fading away right before our eyes, and we could do nothing. I tried to shake her out of it, but it was hard when she turned those unfathomable eyes onto me, as if she didn't care. Keroberos pleaded with her, and Yukito persuaded her, but still, she wouldn't say anything to us. Yue, I don't know what methods he used, but they didn't work. Till now, I have no idea what happened to her that night. But soon after that night, she disappeared. Almost as if in thin air. Along with her disappearance, were Yue/Yukito and Keroberos."

"Could you tell me more about the fragments of her dreams, those she told you?" Eriol asked. 

"We just know that the man plaguing her dreams is called Kuro, and he has long red hair and yellowish eyes. He claimed to be from Sakura past life, and they were lovers in that life. Before he had died in their past lives, he made a promise to find her, no matter how long it takes. Before the night Sakura changed totally, she had started having flashes of her past life, back in the Middle Ages, some few hundred years ago. She remembered herself being surrounded by many worshippers, and also some horrible scenes of strange women being burned on stakes. That's all she told us. If only I knew what happened that night!" Touya banged his fists on the ground in frustration. 

"We can find out what happened that night by using the Return card." Eriol said, after a long pause. 

"The Return?" Touya looked at him curiously.

"Yes, and I think I have some explaining to do to you." Eriol told Touya everything, how Sakura had tried to divide Yue and Yukito into two persons, and the mess-up, and she returned to the past to save Yue, only to end up being a fifth-grader. And how she had chose to stay in the past when Eriol managed to trace her.

"Why did she want to stay in the past?" Touya interrupted. 

Eriol glanced at him, and said. "It's not important." He didn't want Touya to know and feel guilty that Sakura had wanted to change the past, the past where Touya had sacrificed his powers to Yue and Yukito. 

Touya's eyes narrowed with suspicions. He was always perceptive, and he suspected it had something to do with him. "It's because of me, isn't it?" 

Before Eriol could hide the surprise in his eyes, Touya caught it. "Don't lie to me. Tell me the truth. After Sakura's gone, there's not much that could shock me."

So with a sigh, Eriol told him. Touya's eyes went from surprise to guilt. "I knew it, if it wasn't for me……."

"Stop it! You are not the cause for her disappearance, the person in her nightmares is! And we have to make a trip down memory lane to find out who this mysterious person is." Eriol said grimly.

Touya struggled with his guilt before a light of determination came into his eyes. "You are right. Let's get on with it." 

"Ok. Close your eyes and focus." Eriol chanted something and a staff grew in his hands. A magic circle appeared beneath their feet, as he threw a card into the air. "Release and dispel, Return!" 

Touya felt his body being lifted and drawn into a hole, and then landing on the pavement. He opened his eyes and saw Eriol standing beside him. "You ok?"

"Yeah, is this the place and time where Sakura was on that night?" Touya glanced around and noticed it was dark, and they were in the Penguin Park.

"Yes. So, the Penguin Park again?" Eriol asked himself. 

Touya suddenly froze as a familiar figure came into view. "Sakura." He whispered, not believing he could see her again after all this time. He started moving towards her, but Eriol stopped him. 

"We are here to find out what happened to her, not to alert whatever changed her. So be quiet and hide your aura. If we are found out, history would change again, and this time, we won't know which point of time Sakura is changed."

Touya nodded and did as Eriol suggested. 

They tensed as another aura came into the park, a powerful and dark aura.

====TBC=====

A/N: Want to know what happened to Sakura that fateful night?? I won't be revealing what happened to Sakura that night to change her future until the next few chapters. I'm just so evil right? *MwaHahahahaha* 

The next few chapters will be set in the past where she's stuck in her fifth-grade body. Also on Sakura's nightmares, the truth about her past life before she was reincarnated as Sakura Kinomoto, and the mysterious Kuro. Some stuff on Yue's dilemma, Sakura changing the cards, and creating new ones. And Yukito protecting Sakura.

One more very important thing………please Review! Comments, ideas, questions and cash are welcomed. I'm joking about the cash, but if you want to send me some, I wouldn't mind (^_^,)


	15. Chapter 15: Pain

**Thanks to my reviewers! **

To mevneriel: Thank you for your kind comments! 

To Kasumi: Thanks for your encouragement, and for liking Kuro! There's another cute and new character coming up next chapter, I hope you'll like him too! Hehee

To Mistress Sakura: Arigatou! I'm evil, but I'm going to get worse in this chapter Mwahahahahaha!

To Kella: My writer's block is gone, for the time being, but I'm quite busy recently. Nevertheless, your reviews and more reviews from my dear readers will motivate me to update faster! The next chapter is going to touch a little bit on Sakura's past life………and the story's going to get more complex! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

****

**CHAPTER 15: PAIN**

****

-----------Back in the Past, when Sakura's a Fifth-grader-------------------

Yue had felt betrayed when he saw, through Yukito's eyes, that Sakura was talking to a boy who had Clow's aura. He retreated to the back of Yukito's mind, wanting to avoid the hurt that he felt. Sakura and Eriol were oblivious to this, as they didn't sense Yue's aura. 

Sakura soon recovered from her bruises and wounds, having a couple of days resting at home. She made use of the time to mediate using the suggestions Eriol had pointed out to her, and her powers improved by leaps and bounds. Feeling that Sakura needed not only praise for her efforts as well as wanting to cheer her up after the previous unfortunate event, Kero-chan had approached Tomoyo for help. She taught him a cool Hawaii dance, and made a tutu skirt for Kero-chan, complete with a matching necklace made of tropical flowers. She also volunteered to film the dance down, so she visited Sakura after school on the day of Kero-chan's 'performance'. Kero-chan, not wanting anyone to laugh at him besides Sakura, and Tomoyo (who wouldn't laugh at him because she's so kind) had made sure that nobody was home when he carry out his dance. 

Sakura was glad to have Tomoyo's company, though she still doesn't know what's in store for her. "Tomoyo-chan! Thanks for dropping by with the lesson notes for me!" 

"You are welcome, Sakura-chan! How are you feeling today?" Tomoyo asked, checking the bruises on her body. They seemed to have all faded.

"I'm great! I'll be going to school tomorrow, boy I really missed classes and all my other friends!" Sakura smiled eagerly, looking forward to tomorrow. 

"Ah, Kero-chan actually has got something for you, to encourage and cheer you up." Tomoyo said, signaling to Kero-chan who was waiting outside Sakura's bedroom. 

"Huh? What……….." Sakura's words died in her throat when Kero-chan flew in. Around his neck was a chain of beautiful flowers, and on his waist…….

"A green straw skirt???" Sakura asked in amazement.

Tomoyo played the song, "He Mele No Lilo" in the animated film, "Lilo and Stitch". Sakura's jaws dropped open in surprise. 

Without an ounce of embarrassment to be in such a ridiculous get-up, Kero-chan puffed out his small orangey chest and dance to the music. He was a natural performer, making smooth moves as his tiny hands and legs executed the Hawaii dance Tomoyo taught him. (A/N: Please imagine the dance at the beginning of Lilo and Stitch, where a group of Hawaiian ladies were dancing on the stage…hehheheheh) 

There was a moment of stunned silence; before Sakura fell to the floor laughing so hard she thought her sides would split. Kero-chan stopped and glared at her, trying to act offended, but secretly happy that his plan to cheer her up has succeeded. "Hey Sakura! What's so funny? I AM a GREAT dancer, isn't it?" 

"Haahaaaheeeheeehahahaaa……..So-so-sorry Kero-chan, it's just that…..it's really very funny! Hahahahaaaa!" Sakura laughed till tears rolled down her eyes. 

Kero-chan winked at Tomoyo, and she smiled, glad that Sakura's happy again. 

After Sakura treated Kero-chan to an extra large piece of chocolate cake and saying goodbye to Tomoyo, she went up to her room. She thought about the things that had happened to her since returning to the past. And as her love for Yue and Yukito grew even more, she began to wonder what would be their fates after she dies. Never again did she want them to go through the pain of fading, waiting helplessly for the day when they would become non-existence. 

_I wonder if there's a way to keep my powers stored up somewhere, to sustain Yue and Yuki even after I die. With the weird dreams I've had and the incident where I was almost………. I realize that life is truly fragile, and anything could happen in the next moment. _

_Can my magic be stored in a card, sort of it being frozen till they are needed by Yue and Yukito, in case their new master cannot sustain them again like I was? Can a person's magic remain in the mortal world after they pass away? If there are…….oh I hate to think about it but I have to…….g-g-ghosts in this world, that means we could probably remain in this world after we die. I still remember the time I went Hong Kong and met the lady who loved Clow-san so much, she waited for him years after she had died. _

_Then it should be possible to seal my magic up somewhere, waiting for the specific trigger to unleash it? But I remember Kero-chan saying that it's a very difficult spell, and require a lot of magic and willpower. I will become stronger, for their sakes! I will find a way to solve this problem! I'm sure everything will be all right! _

With these determined thoughts, Sakura settled to meditate again. While her powers grew, it attracted unwanted attention………….those of Kuro.

Sakura was so absorbed in her training that she had lost track of time, and a soft knock on her door brought her back to reality.

"Yes, coming!" She called out cheerfully. 

"Sakura-chan! Dinner is ready." Yukito smiled at her as she blushed. Sakura had forgotten that Yukito has moved in with them. 

"Hai! Arigatou Yuki!" She walked downstairs with him to the dinning room. Fujitaka and Touya were already seated. 

"Kaijuu, you are late for dinner, everyone was waiting for you." Touya complained.

"Kaijuu ja nai!" Sakura wanted to stamp on his feet, but refrained from doing so as Yukito was still standing beside her. Fuming, she went to her seat and they chorused, "Itadakimasu!"

Yukito was eating less than usual, and Touya asked with concerned, "What's wrong Yuki? You are not eating well."

He shook his head and smiled, "No, I'm fine." 

Touya frowned but said nothing. Sakura was also casting worried looks at Yukito. Even though her powers were increasing, and Yukito doesn't need to eat as much now, he was still eating too little today.

Yukito was worried about Yue, who had remained sleeping in his mind ever since he found out about Sakura and that boy who had Clow's aura. What happens if Sakura needed protecting? Although Yukito is fast and athletic, good with archery and sports, he doesn't have the confidence to deal with the strange events surrounding Sakura. Nevertheless, he would risk his life to protect her. 

Touya had to work part-time after dinner, so he left after giving Yukito another look. Fujitaka had to work in the basement, and Sakura was left alone with Yukito.

"Yuki, do you need help with packing your stuff?" Sakura offered shyly.

"Sure, thanks Sakura-chan!" Yuki and Sakura went to his new room and started opening some of the boxes, placing the things neatly into the cupboard. They worked together in comfortable silence. As Sakura was tiptoeing and placing an item on the top shelves, she tripped and fell backwards. Yukito saw this and rushed forward to catch her. Somehow, they landed on the narrow bed, with Sakura lying on her back and Yukito looming over her. Their bodies were entwined and Yukito blinked, seeing Sakura's dazed eyes inches from his face.

"Sakura-chan……." Yukito looked down at her blushing face with a smile.

_God, she's so beautiful. _

"Yuki………" Sakura blinked as her warm sweet breath caressed Yukito's cheeks softly. Yukito's glasses had fell on the floor somehow when he had dashed forward to save her from falling, and Sakura could know see his light amber eyes clearly. They were captivating. She didn't want to, and couldn't tear her gaze from his eyes. 

_I'm drowning in your eyes.  _

Closing the distance between them slowly, as if giving Sakura time to move away if she wishes to, Yukito pressed his lips on Sakura's gently. 

_Can I really kiss you?_

Her hands came around Yukito's neck, fingers feeling the smooth strands of silver hair. Yukito smiled against her rosy lips, and parted them with a persuading push of his tongue. Sakura's sweet mouth opened a little to allow Yukito to enter.

_You taste so sweet._

She was jolted by the electrifying currents running through her body, and gasped in delight. Yukito was obviously feeling the same way, as he started breathing more heavily into her mouth. The magical bond between them, as Mistress and Guardian was even stronger now; strengthened by the love they have for each other. They felt every fiber of their being come alive, filled with glowing magical power and love. Their senses became more sensitized, as the smallest touch could send delicious shivers up each other's spine. 

_I have never felt more alive. _

Yukito rolled his tongue around hers, sucking on it tenderly. The pleasure she derived from that was exquisite, and she whimpered softly. 

_Am I in heaven?_

Yukito nibbled her bottom lip gently, and slides his mouth down to her bare throat, brushing feather-light kisses lower, and lower, till he finally stopped at the base of her throat, just above the v-shaped opening of her pink blouse. 

_Your skin is like velvet._

Sakura's chest was heaving from sensual feelings she's having, and slipped her trembling fingers into the Yukito's hair, marveling at its texture. 

_Your hair is like silk._

They remained locked in embrace for a while, with Yukito resting his head on Sakura's chest, and her hands toying with his hair. She pressed a loving kiss on top of his crown of silver hair and rested her chin on it, rubbing her cheeks slowly against the soft, silky tresses. 

_I love you._

Yukito sighed in bliss. Sakura had made his worries about Yue disappear entirely during their kiss. 

_I love you, forever. _

Without both of them knowing it, they fell asleep together on his bed. 

Kero-chan was already deep in slumber, and didn't even notice that his mistress was not in her bedroom. 

Fujitaka was working overnight in the basement for his speech tomorrow, so he didn't noticed anything either. 

Touya was so tired after his part-time job that he went straight up to bed, not checking on Sakura like he usually does. 

The next morning…………..there was going to be mini-chaos in the Kinomotos' Residence. 

--------The Next Morning-----------

Fujitaka hadn't slept a wink last night, and had left the house without breakfast this morning, to prepare for his speech in the University. Touya was then the first person to wake up. He dressed and headed to Yukito's room, intending to wake him up. Knocking once on the door, he entered, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. 

Lying on Yukito's bed was Sakura AND Yukito, both of them still asleep. Sometime during the night, they had shifted unconsciously to make themselves more comfortable. Yukito is now lying on his back, his arms snugly around Sakura. Sakura's entire body was laid vertically on Yukito's, with her head resting on his chest. One of her hands was palm-down on Yukito's right thigh, while the other curled around his shoulder. Sakura's left leg wedged between Yukito's legs, while her right one was half-wrapped around his left leg. They looked extremely cozy, and intimate. (A/N: it's at times like this, describing this sort of thing, that I truly wish I could draw decent Manga. Pictures tell a thousand words.)

For the second time in his time, Touya shouted at both his best friend and sister.

"YOU TWO WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!" He roared, causing the birds chirping outside the window to flee in fright. 

Sakura and Yukito woke up almost immediately, and they were too disoriented at first to know what's wrong. Then they starting blushing together at the compromising position they are in. Sakura tried to get up but her knee hit Yukito's more sensitive region, causing him to groan in pain. She apologized profusely, while Yukito smiled, trying not to grimace. Sakura rolled over and out of his bed, and Yukito sat up, scratching his head in puzzlement. 

"Huh? Good morning To-ya!" Yukito greeted his friend cheerfully, ignoring the angry vibes coming from him. 

Sakura stared at her brother in horror. "Onni-chan……wait…..don't jump to the wrong conclusion…ah…." She shut her mouth after he gave her a ferocious glare.

Touya was shaking with rage. "YUKI!!!!!!!!! YOU PROMISED ME! NOTHING BESIDES KISSING TILL SHE'S OLDER!" 

"Ah, but we didn't do anything besides kissing last night. We just fell asleep together, that's all." Yukito explained calmly. 

Touya was still angry, but he knew his best friend would never lie to him. He's starting to feel a little silly for his over-reaction, and grunted, "Keep it that way." Turning to Sakura, he scowled. "Next time sleep in your own room, you kaijuu." 

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh ONNI-CHAN!!!!" Sakura fumed, as Touya walked out of the room. Yukito laughed and ruffled Sakura's hair affectionately. "Let's get ready for school, ne?" 

"Hai!" She beamed and rush upstairs to change. 

The days swiftly went by without Sakura having another strange dream. She changed many more Clow cards into Sakura cards with the help of Eriol's planned actions, and her bigger magical powers as a result of her training harder. But Sakura was finding Yue's behavior very odd. Whenever Eriol's planned events happen, Yue and Kero-chan will be with her, though she doesn't really need their help, as all she has to do is to change the cards. Other than those times, Yue wouldn't appear. And when Sakura tried to talk to him during those events, he would give her one-two word answers. It's almost as if…………he's angry with her, even though he doesn't show it. She decided to ask Yukito about this. 

Yukito was waiting outside Sakura's school gates as usual, so they can walk home together. "Sakura-chan!" He waved as Sakura approached.

"Yuki!" They walked hand-in-hand, and then it started raining. A drizzle turned into a storm as the rain beat down on them mercilessly. Running, they seek shelter under the huge slide that's shaped like a penguin, in the park. 

Yuki took out his handkerchief and wiped the rain droplets on Sakura's face. "Arigatou, Yuki." Sakura smiled. 

Then her expression turned serious. "Yuki, I want to ask you something, please tell me the truth, ok?" She looked deep into his puzzled eyes.

"Yes Sakura-chan, what's the matter?" 

"Is Yue angry with me?" 

Yukito was taken aback by her question. "Why do you ask that?" 

"He hasn't spoken to me much for a long time now, and when I look into his eyes……….they are so cold." She shivered involuntarily. 

"Sakura-chan, I won't lie to you. That day, when you wanted to be alone, Yue asked me to take over so that he can watch over you without you knowing. He saw you with a boy who has Clow-san's aura." 

Sakura gasped in shock. "No………" She had tried so hard to keep it from everyone, especially Yue, and still…….

"And Yue is angry, he's angry with me isn't it?" Sakura took his hands in hers, her voice trembling. Yukito hesitated. 

"Tell me! Please!" Sakura pleaded. He closed his eyes and nodded. 

"I'm sorry, Yue, so sorry, please forgive me." Tears fell from her eyes. Yukito rubbed them away tenderly. "He will forgive you in time, when he manage to think things through." He consoled her. 

"Can I talk to Yue please?" 

Yukito shook his head sadly. "Sakura-chan………ever since that day, Yue has been sleeping in my mind. He only wakes up when something strange happens to you, and at all other times, he remains in slumber." 

He added. "I tried to talk to him, but he doesn't want to listen. He's shutting me out as well."

Watching the rain pouring down, Sakura remembered the day when Yue had saved her, bringing her to a cave for shelter. It was raining heavily that day too. They had their first kiss then. Just a few months, and now, Yue doesn't even want to see her unless she's…………

_Yue only wakes up when something happens to me. So does that mean I have to wait for Eriol's next event to see him? But even if I do see Yue, will he want to talk to me? He doesn't even listen to Yuki, his other half. _

_If he gives me the chance to explain things, what would I say? Tell him I knew Eriol is Clow-san's reincarnation? That it was part of his plans for us to fall in love with each other? Wouldn't Yue feel that he's being manipulated? I think, Yue already feels that way. That's why, that's why he wants nothing to do with me other than doing his duty as a guardian, which he is bound by magic to be so. _

_Have you stopped loving me, Yue?_

Sakura's heart gripped in pain. Her shoulders slumped, and it was like her life was draining away. Somewhere along her thoughts, she had stopped crying, and now all she felt was numbness, the natural reflex of the mind to block out immense pain. 

Yukito felt her pain, and hugged her. To his surprise, she pushed him away and ran out into the rain.

"SAKURA!" He shouted and chased after her. 

_I deserve Yue's anger and his rejection, because I have lied to him. Not only him, I have hid the truth from Yuki as well. Why isn't Yuki angry? _

Sakura used her Fly, and wings sprouted from her back. She flew up into the sky, ignoring Yuki's shouts. Feeling the rain beat down on her face, she smiled bitterly, a smile that holds no joy, but self-directed anger and sadness. 

_Yuki, you are just too kind. But even you wouldn't forgive me when I tell you that I have kissed Eriol, and betrayed both of you. I was too naïve, I shouldn't have believe that the truth would stay hidden, shouldn't have thought that I would be forgiven and you will continue to love me. No. I'm so stupid I hate myself. _

And as if the skies had heard her thoughts and agreed with her, they meted out their punishment on her. A lightning bolt flashed among the dark clouds and strike Sakura down. Her wings disappeared as her body jolted with agony. She fell down onto the cold hard pavement, unconsciousness. Her battered body laid on the concrete as blood begins to seep out of her, making the rainwater on the ground turn crimson red. And the rain continued, beating down on her freezing motionless body ruthlessly.   

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**TBC**

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**A/N: **I'm so cruel, to have a happy Kero-chan and Sakura at the beginning, a romantic scene in the middle, and angst, pure heartbreaking angst at the end of this chapter. *mwahahahahahhaa* Will Sakura die? Nah, she's the main character, besides, that's not the way she had disappeared in the future, according to Touya. But the future can shift, remember? It all depends on what Sakura does in the past. If she hadn't confronted Yuki about Yue's strange behavior, she'll disappear after having more "Kuro" dreams. But now…….ah…….the wheels of destiny is once again rotating……….


	16. Chapter 16: Shiro and Ame

A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful reviews!! 

To Lau: Yup, without suspense the story would be just fluff and humor. I'm glad you liked the Y+S fluff lime and the rain scene. The person who saves Sakura is a real pretty boy, you'll get to know him soon ^_^ Arigatou for your long review, as usual, I really really appreciate it! Wow, vacation? Lucky you, I'm getting busier these days but since all of you kind readers are so supportive, I'll try to get the next chapter out real soon!

To Kella: Heh heh, you are so cute in your review, so here it is, the new chapter you are 'really really really badly' looking forward to. Thanks for all your encouragement, I'm so happy ^_^

To Thaliel: Haha, no, Sakura's not dying, and even if she really dies, you can't have Yue because……………HE BELONGS TO ME! Heh heh heh. Just joking, he belongs to the four geniuses of CLAMP. *sigh* 

To Kasumi: You signed in for your review this time! Thanks for taking the time to sign in and review! I was smiling when I wrote the bed scene where Touya came in and nearly popped a few veins and blood vessels. Touya is really a cute brother, even though he's too overprotective huh? But I sure won't mind having a brother like Touya hah hah hah 

*Author's real brother knocks her on her head* Ouch! My brother's a real stupid $&^@&*@*

To Mistress Sakura: Okay, I'm updating it now, so please don't die of suspense!! If you die I will have one less great reader who also write great S+Y fanfics! ^_^

Thanks so much for liking my fic and reviewing it! And now *drumrolls……………….*

Another new character, a very pretty young man by the name of Shiro. I created him. So he belongs to me!!! If you want to borrow him for a date, please dial 1800-DATE-SHIRO. Hehehheheh.

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**CHAPTER 16: SHIRO and AME**

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Four persons in different places felt the same thing in a heart-stopping second. Sakura's aura was cut off abruptly. 

Kero-chan was having a pudding when he felt Sakura's pain shoot through his plush-toy body and the spoon he was holding clattered to the floor.

Eriol had just reached home, shaking the rain droplets off his umbrella when he felt Sakura's aura disappear.

Touya was in school, practicing soccer with his teammates in the indoors because of the rain, felt Sakura's in great danger. 

And inside Yukito, who was still searching for Sakura desperately, Yue woke up. He was ripped out of his slumber by pure agony, and immediately, he realized that Sakura's aura was gone. His mind refused to accept it for a moment. But Yuki could hear him, and whispered fearfully. "What happened, Yue? Why do I feel like my heart's tearing apart? Is it Sakura-chan?"

There was no response from Yue and then his thoughts resonated in Yukito's mind.

_I don't know._

_Yes you do, Yue! Tell me! _

_No._

_No?_

_No I won't believe it._

_Believe what? Please stop scaring me Yue! If something happened to Sakura-chan, we have to save her! _

_I WON'T BELIEVE SHE'S GONE!_

_What do you mean she's gone? _

_………._

_Yue?_

_………._

_Please tell me, I beg you!_

_Her aura disappeared. _

_What does this mean?_

_……………_

_YUE!_

_She………she………could be………dead._

_NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!_

Yukito dropped to his knees and weep. Yue, inside his mind, was howling like he's gone mad. After what seemed like an eternity, Yukito stood up, and nodded grimly. 

_Yue, stop it. We must be strong for Sakura-chan. We must find her! It's not certain that she's………..I just won't believe it! _

_……………._

_Yue? I think it would be easier to find her if you take over, ok?_

_……………_

There was a bright white light embracing Yukito he transformed into Yue. A very different-looking Yue. His cool impassionate eyes were filled with sorrow, and there were tear-streaks on his face. The rain had stopped, which made flying easier. He spread his large feathery wings and soared, searching for Sakura, with hope in Yuki's mind, but fearing the worst in his own heart. 

Four of those who love Sakura looked for her desperately, but to no avail. It was like she had disappeared into thin air. They gathered at her house. 

"I was with her, but she ran and flew into the sky." Yue had changed back into Yukito. 

Touya glared at Yukito, and growled. "Why did she run away?"

Yukito looked extremely uncomfortable. "She, she asked me about Yue, why he didn't want to talk to her. And I told her the truth, that's it because of Yue finding out about Eriol-san, and that Sakura has been hiding this from him." Yukito glanced at Eriol. 

Eriol had been so worried about Sakura, that he couldn't care less about Yue and Keroberos discovering his real identity and plans. Sakura's is the most important thing. So he explained to them about himself, and about his plans to help Sakura change all the cards. 

When Kero-chan (who also couldn't be bothered if Touya knows he's not a real stuffed toy), asked Eriol why, he gave his reasons. 

"I'm not Clow. I may have his memories, but I don't have his heart. I am my own person. That's why, he had looked into the future, and entrusted the Clow cards to the one most suitable, the person with a pure heart who will love his cards and guardians as much as he did. That person is Sakura."

"Sakura, as the new mistress of the Clow cards, needs to transform the cards into her own, so that they can stay alive by feeding on her power. Sakura's magic comes from the star element, and the Clow cards were feeding on the dark magic that Clow uses. That's why she needs to transform the cards, or her energy cannot be absorbed by the cards as they would be incompatible." 

"She can't change the cards without valid reasons, so I created a series of incidents to force her change the cards. My identity has to remain a secret, if not, she and the two guardians will not try so hard in the battles."

"But I didn't expect Sakura to be from the future, and to know all about my plans, as well as my real identity already. When I discovered that, I confronted her, and she told me everything. I advised her not to tell the others, because that may change things in the future."

Eriol paused, and looked at Yukito. "She wanted to tell Yue, but I told her not to. She respected my request."

Yue was struggling in Yukito's mind. Eriol's aura was so much like Clow's, so familiar that he wanted to……..he realized that he had wanted Eriol to be his master again. But…….that was impossible, because Sakura is now his mistress. As Eriol continued with his explanation, Yue began feel the knots in his own heart untying. No matter what happens, Yue knows that his only mistress is Sakura, and now, he only loves her and not Clow, not anymore. He had not felt this truth until the instant her aura disappeared. And Yue had discovered that losing Sakura was even more painful than when Clow had died. 

Eriol gave in to a tiny smile when he saw Yue's heart finally understanding the truth. Then he turned to the others and said, "We have to find her."

"But we looked everywhere, there's no trace of her!" Kero-chan wailed in distress. 

Touya shook his head helplessly. 

Yukito spoke up. "Maybe she's hurt, and was rescued by somebody who sent her to the hospital or clinic. Let's split up to look for her again."

The others nodded. They decided to gather at Sakura's house after 3 hours to report their progress. 

While the four of them were looking for Sakura, she was at someone's home. 

There was a cool cloth on her head, and she slowly regains consciousness. 

"What? Where am I?" Sakura sat up from a bed and winced in pain. Her head throbbed in pain, while her limbs were swathed in bandages. Poking at her legs, there was no feeling, not even a prickling sensation. Her arms seemed to be fine, but were badly bruised. Looking around, she found herself in a clean and neat room. The walls were painted a light baby blue, with white-colored cupboards lining them. Across her bed was a dressing table with a large mirror on it. 

Sakura blinked at her reflection. There was two band-aides on her forehead, one on her chin and another on her neck. Emerald-green eyes were clouded in confusion, as she frowned. The sound of the door opening caused her to turn her head around.

"So you are finally awake. I wanted to send you to a hospital, as you were quite badly injured, but you are no identity on you. How are you feeling?" A kind looking young man who seemed to be Touya's age looked at Sakura with concern. 

"I have a headache, and my feet are numb."

"Your legs are broken, and luckily I know how to fix them. They'll be fine after a month or so. I'll give you an aspirin for your headache later." The man smiled at Sakura with gentle hazel-brown eyes covered by framing bangs of blond strands. Tossing his waist-long hair behind his shoulders, he bent down and shook Sakura's hand.

"My name is Nasukawa Shiro, what's your name?" 

Sakura's eyes widened as her mind drew up a blank. She whispered, "I don't know."

Shiro was surprised. "You don't know? Can you remember where you live or what's your home number?"

Closing her eyes and trying in vain to search for an answer, Sakura finally sighed in defeat. "No." She looked up and saw Shiro pacing in the room.

"I think you have amnesia, it's a loss of memory, probably from your injuries. Should be temporary, not to worry." Shiro patted Sakura on her shoulder, comforting her. 

"Well, you are certainly not in any condition to go anywhere, so just rest here and I'll try to find your family for you. Are you hungry?"

Sakura nodded as her stomach growled. 

Shiro laughed. "I'm not much of a cook, but my food is still fairly safe to eat. Get some rest, I'll let you know when dinner's ready." He was about to walk out of the room when Sakura said softly. "Arigatou, Shiro-san."

"Just call me Shiro." And he closed the door quietly behind him. 

_Why do I feel an affinity with this young girl? When I saw her lying there on the pavement, in the rain, there was pain in my heart. I had no hesitation in carrying her to my house that was nearby. Somehow, it's like my instincts telling me to take good care of her. And when I had her in my arms, it was like………….like I found someone very dear to me. That's really weird. _

Shiro shook his head and laughed at his own silliness, not realizing the link between himself and Sakura, that goes back into their past lives. 

Inside the room, Sakura was wondering why she found Shiro so familiar, and how safe she felt in her presence. She also tried to recall her memories, but the pain in her head only got worse. She whimpered, hands cradling her head, and curled into a ball, as tears rolled down her face. 

When Shiro brought Sakura's dinner in a tray into the room, he was shocked to find her banging her head against the wall. Placing the tray on the dressing table, Shiro hurried over to Sakura. "Hey, you ok? What's wrong?"

"My-my-my head's splitting open! It hurts so much!" Sakura moaned as another wave of pain washed over her. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Shiro hugged Sakura and quickly gave her some painkillers. "Hey, swallow these, you'll feel better then."

She gulped them down and snuggled up to Shiro's broad chest, shivering. "When you feel up to it, eat some food, ok?" Shiro told her, pointing to the tray on the dressing table. 

Sakura nodded, and thanked Shiro again. "So why you are in such pain? Your injuries aren't that serious, or are they causing you more pain than I thought they would?" 

"I………I was just trying to remember who I am, but once I think hard, my head hurt." 

"Shhh………take your time, there's no hurry. Don't force yourself. It'll all come back to you soon. And don't worry, I'll take care of you in the meantime, ok?"

"Wouldn't I be disturbing you?" Sakura raised her eyes to Shiro's. 

"No, I live alone, but when I'm working, you'll have to look after my house for me." Shiro smiled warmly. 

"Thank you so much Shiro." Sakura smiled, the first smile she had after Shiro had saved her.

"You are welcome. Ah, I can't keep calling you 'hey' or 'you'. Since we met in the rain, can I call you Ame-chan?" Shiro suggested.

"Ah, sure. I can't remember my name anyway." Sakura replied sadly.  

"So Ame-chan, do you want to have some dinner now? If my cooking's horrible, the food will probably taste worse when it gets cold." Shiro grinned jokingly.

"Yes, thank you. You have been so kind to me, I……." Tears of gratitude fell from Sakura's eyes.

"Shhhhh, it's ok. Don't worry about it." Shiro wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Tears doesn't suit your pretty face, so please don't cry, ok?" His tone was gentle and kind. 

Sakura sniveled and thanked Shiro again. She took a bite of the food that Shiro had cooked for her. "It's delicious!" 

"Then you are the first to say that, are you sure you are not just saying that to make me happy?" Shiro smiled cheekily. 

"No! I really think it's nice!" Sakura proclaimed seriously.

"Ok ok I believe you. I was just teasing you, because honestly, you are the first person to try my cooking. I just moved to this town recently, so I don't have much friends." Shiro appeared to be a little sad.

Sakura took his hands and said, "Then I'll be your friend." They smiled at each other for a few moments. Sakura said, "You know, I have a strange feeling about you, like I know you from somewhere……."

Shiro stared at Sakura in surprise. "I…….I got the feeling too…..pretty weird huh?" A thought nagged at the back of Shiro's mind.

_That's because you do know her._

_But I have never seen her before!_

_She looked different when you knew her._

_What do you mean? _

_It's not time yet, all will be revealed to you soon………_

"Shiro? Shiro are you all right?" Sakura waved her hands in front of his eyes.

"Huh?" Shiro snapped out of his thoughts and looked confused.

"You had a dazed look in your face just know, kind of spaced-out." Sakura explained.

"Oh! Ah, nothing, don't worry." Shiro forced a smile and excused himself. He went to the kitchen and got a cold soda. Leaning against the kitchen counter with his drink in one hand, he pondered over the strange conversation he had in his own mind. Ever since he had moved into this town, the voice in his head had gotten louder. Sometimes he even thought that he was going crazy, but the voice didn't seem to be malicious or anything. Thinking back, Shiro remembered that he had felt strangely compelled to move to Tomoeda, even though his parents had objected his decision. So he had dropped out of college, and got a job here, supporting himself and his rented apartment. Things were difficult at first, but after a few months, he's starting to like his new life. And now, he has a new friend, Ame-chan. 

_She's really cute. And so nice to offer her friendship. I wonder how old she is. But she doesn't remember anything about herself now. I hope she recovers soon, she looks so lost just now. Anyhow, I'll take care of her and try to find her family in the meantime. _

Shiro whistled to himself as he walked towards the bathroom. He was toweling himself dry in the bathroom after his shower when he heard a crash, then a soft cry. Worried about Sakura, he dashed into her room. She was sitting on the floor, nursing a bruised elbow. "Ame-chan! Are you alright?"

"Shiro, I was just trying to……….." She stopped talking and stared at him with wide eyes. A blush was creeping into her cheeks. 

"Huh?" Shiro scratched his head in puzzlement. 

"You are…..you……" Sakura grew even redder, and she lowered her eyes shyly.

Shiro looked at himself and slapped his head. He was nearly naked, except for the small white towel around his waist. "I had just finished bathing when I heard something crashing in your room so I rushed in. Sorry." He smiled sheepishly. 

"So what happened?" He asked curiously, not the least shy about his lack of attire.

"I needed to use the bathroom, but my legs…….." Sakura gestured at her injured legs that were bandaged, preventing her movement. 

"Oh I'm sorry! I didn't think……ah, I'll help you to the bathroom. Tomorrow I'll get some crutches for you." Shiro walked to Sakura's side and carried her in his strong arms. She blushed when her face was pressed against Shiro's bare chest. In his clothes, Shiro had looked rather frail, but he was surprising well built. And his skin was so smooth, like silk. Shiro took Sakura to the bathroom and left her inside, while he waited outside. Sakura used the bathroom facilities and called out to Shiro. He carried her back to her room. At the entrance of her room, Sakura spotted something she feared most besides ghosts. 

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh a cockroach!!!!" The cockroach scurried away into a dark corner. 

Her ear-splitting scream startled Shiro, who lost his hold on her. As Sakura felt herself falling, she was so scared that she grabbed onto the first thing her hand came into contact with.

Shiro managed to catch hold of her before she hit the ground. She opened her eyes, which she had closed earlier when she was falling and stared into Shiro's bemused expression. There was something in her hand, the thing she had grabbed onto just now. It was a white piece of towel. Where did it come from?

"Well Ame-chan, don't look down now." Shiro grinned playfully.

And of course, naturally, Sakura _did _look down. Her entire face, neck and ears blushed like a ripe tomato. "Hoeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" 

Shiro laughed. "Can't say I didn't warn you!" 

"SHIRO!!!" Sakura wailed, embarrassed to the core. She shut her eyes tightly as Shiro lowered her gently down to her bed. She turned to face the wall, and said, "Thanks, but I'm ok now so you can leave." Sakura couldn't imagine looking Shiro in the eye again without recalling what she had just seen. It was the first time she had seen a guy's………well………you-know-what, and she's mortified. 

"Ah, you are welcome. But could I please have my towel back?" Shiro asked with amusement.

Sakura looked at her hand. It was still gripping on to the towel……the towel that had covered Shiro's you-know-what. "OH!!! SORRY!" She turned around out of reflex and screamed again, as she had forgotten for a moment that Shiro was still naked. Closing her eyes, a blushing Sakura held out the towel and apologized profusely. 

Shiro took the towel and wrapped it around his waist. "It's ok, and I'm decent now. See you tomorrow, Ame-chan. Oyasumi." 

"Oyasumi, Shiro." 

Touya, Eriol, Yukito and Kero-chan gathered at the Kinomoto residence after three hours. They couldn't find Sakura, and were all disappointment, worried and tired. Touya had made a police report, but there were no missing girls. They had searched all hospitals and clinics, but no news at all. 

Seeing the tired looks on everyone's face, Eriol suggested they continue their search tomorrow. He consoled the rest by saying, "Sakura's probably saved by a kind person, and she's maybe resting now. I'm sure she'll be all right." The rest nodded, wanting to believe in Eriol, hoping that Sakura's fine and alive. Eriol left and started a long, lonely walk back home. Despite his words to the others, Eriol felt a gnawing sense of unease about Sakura. 

_Sakura, where are you? Why do I feel that you are so near, yet we just can't find you? It's like you are slipping away right before our eyes and we don't even know it! Please Sakura, please be alive. _

Kero-chan had cried himself to sleep that night in Sakura's bed. He blamed himself for not protecting her. He felt so useless. Sakura's pillow still has her faint scent, and Kero-chan buried his face into it. 

_Sakura, please be safe. We'll definitely find you soon! Please……._

Touya was not sleeping. He couldn't. He had failed to keep his promise with Okasan. She had entrusted Sakura in his care and protection before she pass away. And now, his precious sister, his only sister is missing. 

_Sakura, no matter what it takes, I will find you. Okasan, please give me the strength to find and protect her. Please let her be all right. _

Yukito and Yue were talking to each other in their minds. Yue was filled with regret about what happened, and Yukito was angry with himself for letting Sakura run off like that.

_If only I had hugged and held on to her tightly, not letting her runs away by herself! _

_If only I had not been so cold towards her, and ignoring her for keeping the truth about Clow-sama from me. I should have talked to her. But I didn't. I was too stubborn! What did it matter if Clow-sama is back? That's he's now reincarnated in that boy named Eriol? Yes, I admit his aura is almost exactly like Clow-sama's, even their presence is alike. But he's not him. And no matter what, my only mistress, and my only love now is Sakura. Nothing will change that. Why was I so blinded by my own hurt? By what I thought was a betrayal? I was just sulking like a spoiled child, not even giving Sakura that chance to explain! No, she doesn't need to explain anything to me; I should have trusted her! And I have failed to protect her! How could I even begin to atone for my wrongs? Now, it's too late, and I may never have the chance to do so._

_Yue, please don't think like that! I'm sure…………I'm sure Sakura will be fine! Don't you trust in her abilities? She's now a pretty powerful magician, right? I believe in her. I believe she won't ever leave us and…………and let anything happen to herself._

_But Yuki! Don't you remember how she had been attacked by the two evil creatures that night? What if something like that happened to her again?_

_NO! No, it can't be……….._

And their blood ran cold at the awful possibilities. 

_SA-KU-RA…….._

Sakura was dreaming, and she was in total darkness. There was a voice talking to her.

_My love. _

_Who?_

_You, of course._

_Who are you?_

_My dear, how could you have forgotten me?_

_Huh?_

_My name is Kuro. _

_Kuro?_

_Yes, and I'm getting so close to you………so close._

_Why?_

_Because you are mine. No matter who you are now, you will always be mine._

_No!_

_No? Shall I show you our past? Where we spent every single day together? And the day when I swear to love and be by your side, even after death itself? Or maybe that fateful day, the day we perished together……………._

_You can't escape from me, ever. You belong to me. Join me in the darkness, my love, where we can be together for eternity. _

Sakura felt a strong presence drawing her into the darkness, and she fought with all her might. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Ame-chan! Ame-chan please wake up!" Shiro shook Sakura as she continued screaming, but not waking up. He felt that something was very wrong, that it wasn't just a normal nightmare. Acting purely on instincts, Shiro shouted into the air, "Whatever you are, get out of Ame-chan's dreams now!" A white glow of ethereal light surrounded both Shiro and Sakura, but they didn't notice it. Sakura finally stopped screaming, and her eyes snapped open. The light around them faded away. 

"Shiro?" Sakura blinked, she had forgotten about her dreams already. 

"Ame-chan, you are all right!" Shiro hugged her close to him. His heart had nearly stopped beating when he heard her screaming. Kicking open her door, he didn't even bother to turn on the lights, but rushed to her side immediately. He didn't know why, but Sakura had become very important to him, within the short span of time they had spent together. 

"Yes, Shiro, what happened? Why are you in my room?" Sakura blushed, as she was still in his embrace.

Shiro let go of Sakura and replied. "You were screaming, so I came. I thought something happened to you."

"Oh, thank you, but I'm fine. Maybe I had a nightmare or something." 

Shiro didn't think it was just a nightmare, but decided to keep quiet and not worry her with his groundless conclusions. Moonlight was the only source of illumination in the room. It was a full moon. Sakura turned to gaze at the moon from the window. "The Moon is so beautiful………….but why do I feel this pain in my heart?" She whispered. It was a odd feeling, to be in awe of the splendor of the moon, but yet, an unexplainable emotion, almost like regret. Why?

"Your heart feels pain? Do you want me to get some medicine for you?" Shiro asked worriedly. 

Sakura faced Shiro, and smiled sadly. "No, this pain is an emotion I feel, not a physical pain. I feel like I have lost something very dear to me. What is it?" 

"Your memory will come back to you soon. Please don't be sad. I hate to see you like this." Shiro brushed a few stray strands of auburn hair away from Sakura's face tenderly. Then he pinched her cheek lightly. 

"Smile for me, my angel." Shiro eyes widened in shock. Where had the words, 'my angel' come from? Yet…………it sounded right. And was so familiar.

Sakura blushed at the endearment. But the word angel brought the image of wings into her head, and once again, the weird emotion of a painful longing. She lowered her head and frowned, not understanding why she's feeling this way. 

Shiro's hand slipped from Sakura's cheek to her chin and lifted her head up gently. "You really look like an angel, you know?" Shiro eyes roamed over her pure emerald-green eyes, sweet innocent face and pink rosebud mouth. His gaze fell to her cute silky tresses. Yes, she definitely looks like an angel. The only thing missing is wings on her back. 

Sakura smiled shyly and a tinge of red dotted her cheeks. "Stop joking."

"I'm serious! And you look even cuter with rosy cheeks and a smile." Shiro grinned playfully. 

" Thank you for cheering me up Shiro." Her eyes twinkled merrily. 

"Anytime, Ame-chan, anything for my angel." He winked. 

After Shiro had watched over Sakura till she fell asleep peacefully, he left her room quietly and sat in the living room. He pondered on what he had felt just now.

_Why did I feel that Ame-chan's dream was not 'normal'?_

_Because it's not. _

_You again. _

_Yes, don't you want to know why?_

_If you are so smart then you tell me. _

_You are special, Shiro. You have some abilities that ordinary people do not have. And you have a mission in this life, to protect someone. _

_Huh? _

_Just be on the alert, especially around her._

_Her?_

_The girl you call Ame-chan._

_Why?_

_It's not time yet. _

_You know, I'm really getting a bit sick of this 'it's not time yet' kind of shit._

_Fine, then let me show you……….._

Shiro's vision blurred as he slumped onto the floor with a soft thud. When he regained consciousness, he was in a strange surrounding. A room that had rough walls. On a closer look, the walls were actually made up of thousands of clear white crystals. The floor was glass, but when he looked down, he could see nothing beyond the transparent glass but a murky mist of some sort. "What the hell?" Shiro mumbled. A circle of blue flames flared in the middle of the room, and a figure stepped out of it. The person was a dazzling beauty, with long wavy midnight blue hair that fell gracefully down to her slender hips. She was wearing a strapless gown that seems to be made of woven golden silk.   

Her eyes were a stunning green, the color of emeralds, filled with wisdom and pure compassion. And Shiro found himself so captivated by them, he was speechless. 

"What's wrong?" Her clear, smooth voice rang out amongst the silence.

"Nothing's wrong, Suisen-chan." Shiro turned around and saw another man in the room. He had short spiky dark hair and chocolate-colored eyes. (A/N: Actually he looks exactly like Touya.)  

_Why is it that they don't seem to see me even though I'm standing between the two of them?_

_That's because you are not physically here. We are now watching a scene from your past life, before you were reincarnated into Nasukawa Shiro. _

_Oh._

"For a moment you had a dazed kind of look on your face." Suisen said with concern. 

"I'm fine. What is it?" 

"The Lord is looking for us." Suisen replied.

_Who's the Lord? She's not talking about God, is she?_

_Be patient. You'll see him soon. _

_Ok, but if this is my past life, which one of them is me? Not the gorgeous girl, could it? Then it must be that dark-hair fellow!_

_NO! Your past self will appear very soon. _

"Another epidemic?"

"Yes, there are many casualties this time, so the Lord had instructed both of us to attend to the peasants." She bowed her head, tears shimmering in her eyes. 

"Suisen-chan………..don't cry. You know it rains whenever you cry. And, this is not the first time we have an epidemic." 

"But…….so much suffering. Why? Our powers are limited, no matter how hard we try, there are just some we can't save. Why doesn't the Lord do something? This is his realm right? Couldn't he stop the epidemics? He's the most powerful magician in this realm!" 

"I'm sure he tried. You know our Lord doesn't like to explain his actions. I believe there's a reason for all these." 

"I'm starting to lose confidence, really. He isn't what he used to be. He was so kind, gentle and warm in the past, but now………everything's changed. And he's behaving more and more strangely towards me." Suisen shuddered uncontrollably.

"What do you mean?" 

"I don't know how to explain, but he's making me really uncomfortable. And he mentioned that maybe it's time he gets a wife."  

"WHAT?" The dark-haired man shouted in disbelief. 

"Weird right? We know that he has never been interested in the affairs of the heart, and now he says he wants to get a wife. But it's not what he said that's surprising, it's the way he said it. He was looking right into my eyes when he said that, with an expression of ……….it's almost like……._hunger._"

_That lord of theirs sounds like a real creep. _

_Oh? By the way, your past self is coming into the room now._

_Ah, finally._

A second circle, this time in black flames appeared in the room, and a man with an overpowering presence entered. He had red hair, and champagne colored eyes. "What are you two doing here?"

"Lord Kuro!" 

-----------TBC------------

A/N: Am I making you confused? The words in italic are their thoughts. In the last part of the chapter, Shiro was seeing scenes of his past, and the words in italic are his thoughts, and the voice in his head talking. 

I'm sorry for not mentioning Tomoyo and Syaoran in this chapter, even though they care for Sakura also. But they are not main characters in my fic. 

How can Shiro be Kuro? Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I'll give you a hint. Think about Fujitaka and Eriol. 

And who's that green-eyed beauty called Suisen? Haha, I'm sure you can guess.

Guess! And Review! Arigatou! The more reviews I get the faster I update heh heh heh. 


	17. Chapter 17: Past Lives

**THANKS to all my very nice readers who reviewed! I got SEVEN reviews for chapter 16! Break the record for any chapter! YAY!**

To mevneriel: Thanks for liking my chapter 15 and 16, I'll try to keep up the good work!

To Kasumi: You are so smart!! I don't know if that guy is Touya's past life; I haven't decided yet. :P The truth behind Shiro and Kuro is revealed in this chapter, and it's a little different from your guess, but you are not far off. Arigatou for bothering to answer my A/N ramblings and questions!!

To Kella: Shiro won't become like Kuro! I promise! He's not only sweet and cute, but talented too! Heh heh heh Thank you for loving this chapter, I hope you like this one too, though it is a little short….but I figured you (and my other readers) would probably want a faster update right? 

To Mistress Sakura: I'm glad you like that towel scene thing! I was smiling when I wrote that. Yup, Sakura will remember her past soon, not just her past, but about her past life too. Don't worry about Yue and Yukito, they are in good hands. *author looks back at the two bishounen chained to her extra king-sized beds* heh heh heh 

To mArmaLadEb0y x3: A new reader!!! Thanks for reading and reviewing, I hope you continue reading AND reviewing the fic! 

To Lau: The two broken legs thing is abit too much ne? But I wanted Sakura to be a damsel in distress for a while, thought it would be cute hehehe. Shiro IS the good guy, and Kuro's the bad guy, and the explanation is in this chapter! Thank you again for reviewing!

To Moon Sorceress: Yes, I am a wicked author and I love being one! *mwuahahahahahaa* Thanks for your enthusiasm, here's the newest chappie! Yay, I wouldn't mind dying now if I get to reincarnate in the anime/manga world with cute guys…………maybe in my dreams……*sigh*

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**CHAPTER 17: PAST LIVES**

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"Lord Kuro!" 

"Suisen, Matsu, what are you two of you still doing here? The victims of the recent epidemic needs your assistance NOW." 

Suisen and Matsu (the dark-haired man) bowed their heads respectfully as their lord reprimanded harshly. 

"My lord, we are going right now." Suisen answered in that smooth voice of hers, now slightly trembling. 

Kuro frowned at the tremor in her voice. "Suisen, please see me after you are done. I want to speak to you."

"Yes, my lord." She bowed again, and conjured a circle of blue flames and she stepped into it. Matsu did the same, only difference is the flames surrounding the circle he conjured were red in color. 

_Hey, you are not suggesting that the stupid jerk Kuro is my past self, are you?_

_Shiro, you are making me crack up with laughter. YES, he is you, and right now you are insulting yourself._

_No! How can I be this………….this……..THING? I'm not like that at all! I mean, look into that guy's eyes! They are pure evil. _

_I guess I should explain things a little, especially to a dimwit like yourself._

_If I can kill you, I will. NOW EXPLAIN._

_Kuro didn't always used to be like this. In the past he was not evil, but a kind person. He's the most popular ruler across the seven realms. _

_Wait a minute. Seven realms? In my world there are no realms, only one earth. Sure, there are other planets but it's believed that no humans exist on them. _

_Shiro, things are very different in the past. Unlike what many humans believe, God didn't take seven days to create the different things on earth, but to create the seven realms. The seven realms are all rather similar with only slight variances. And unlike earth, most of the humans in this world have magical abilities. It's only natural that the most powerful magician becomes the ruler of each of the seven realms. The occupants in one realm cannot cross over to the other, but they can communicate through telepathy. Everyone here has telepathic abilities. _

_Okay, I think I sort of understand. Do you know why this 'realm system' was demolished and now we have earth, were most of us are just normal folks with no magic?_

_Hey, I'm not God, and I'm not a historian so how the heck do I know?_

_Fine fine, no need to get agitated. So what happened to change Kuro, my past self into this evil fellow now?_

_The usual human emotions. Lust, hunger for more power, and jealous. Initially, he loves all his people almost equally, but he started developing romantic feelings for Suisen, and then he gets jealous of her abilities._

_What's her abilities? _

_Suisen has white Magic, the strongest in the seven realms. Even Kuro doesn't have her healing powers, because his magical alignment is different. _

_Okay, but he's already the ruler of the realm! What's there to be jealous about? And I thought you said he likes Suisen?_

_Yes, he has contradicting feelings for her. And the powerful only seeks to become more powerful, such is human nature. To see a power that one can only wish for and not harness makes Kuro jealous of Suisen. _

_I have another question, how is all this linked to my present life? _

_You will see._

_Hey, don't give me the crap about 'it's not time yet' ok!_

_All right then, a hint. Kuro, your past life, did a terrible thing just before he died. He made a vow, a curse, that will affect Suisen's next life. And now Kuro is reincarnated in your present life, to fulfill that vow he made. So, you have to protect the reincarnated Suisen._

_WAIT! I thought I AM Kuro's next life??? How can I be the person harming Suisen's next life and also protecting her?_

_Kuro's soul split into two before he died in this realm. His conscience reincarnated into you, Shiro. And Kuro's evil soul reincarnated into someone else. _

_Right, and this soul-splitting thing is a common occurrence huh?_

_No, only powerful magicians can do that, and it's usually intentional, with plans for their future life. _

_So, who am I suppose to protect?_

_………………….._

_Hello?_

"Hey, Shiro! Wake up!" Sakura woke up in the morning and managed to get out of the room somehow. She saw Shiro sprawled on the floor, unconscious, and got pretty worried. 

"Huh?" Shiro sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes to get the blurriness out of them. 

"Oh, you finally woke up! I have been calling you for the past 5 minutes and you were out cold. I was so worried I nearly called the ambulance!" 

"Ame-chan, sorry to make you worry." Shiro smiled apologetically. 

Shiro added, "How did you get out of the room by yourself?" 

"Eh, I crawled out." Sakura blushed. She sensed something was wrong, and struggled to half crawled, half drag her body out of the room to Shiro's unconscious form. 

"I must get you the crutches now. But first, let's have some breakfast." Shiro carried Sakura in his arms in set her down on the sofa. "Wait for a while, okay?"

Sakura nodded and smiled gratefully. _He's such a nice guy. _

_She's so sweet, and cared about me so much just now. I think I'm falling for her. How can I? She's just a kid! Ahhhhhhhh! I'm so confused, and there's that stupid vision I had of the past. Who is Suisen in this life? How can I protect someone I don't even know! Damn!_

Shiro whacked himself on the head as he walked to the kitchen. 

Yukito, Touya and Eriol didn't go to school in the morning. They continued their search for Sakura. Fujitaka, Syaoran and Tomoyo soon found out what had happened to Sakura, and started to look for her too. Tomoyo, with her mum's extensive contact network, financial resources and manpower, searched the whole town entirely, but still no trace of Sakura. They decided to print Sakura's photo on Missing Person Notice on major newspapers, magazines and other media. The notice could only be printed tomorrow, at the earliest. All they could do now, is to wait for news. 

Meanwhile, Shiro bought the crutches for Sakura and returned home, looking forward to seeing her again. 

"Tadaima!" Shiro called out cheerfully, the first time he is able to do so since moving to this town. He was getting lonely coming back to an empty house day after day, and now was glad that there's someone waiting for him to return.

"Okaerinasai!" Sakura replied, smiling at Shiro as he entered the living room. 

"How's your day, Ame-chan? I hope you weren't too bored at home alone." 

"Oh, I'm fine! I was watching the television and read some books just now. I didn't know you were interested in music." 

Shiro looked at the books on music that he had put on the coffee stand. "Yes, I play the piano, and I'm interested in the history of music, as well as any news on it." 

"Can you play the piano for me sometime?" Sakura asked eagerly, raising hopeful bright green eyes to Shiro. 

_Man! How can I reject your request when you look at me like that? If you ask me to jump out of the window now, I probably would have done so too. _"Ah, sure, but I don't have a piano now, only an electronic organ." Shiro walked to the cupboard on the far side of the living room and took out a portable organ. He set it up and asked, "So what song would you like to hear?" 

Sakura looked thoughtful for a while, chewing on her bottom lip as her mind searched for a song name. 

_She looks really adorable nibbling her lip like that. _Shiro thought as he gazed at Sakura admiringly. 

"How about the song in the movie You've Got Mail……..I think the name of the song is Anyone At All." Sakura suggested finally. 

Shiro nodded, "I like that song a lot, and I remember how to play the tune, but not really the lyrics. Why don't you sing along as I play the song?" 

Sakura blushed. "But I don't think my voice is any good…….."

"Please Ame-chan, I promise I won't laugh if you sound like a hyena." Shiro teased as he cast a lopsided grin at Sakura.

"All right, I will try." Sakura opened her mouth as the first few notes of the song drifted from Shiro's playing. 

(A/N: I hope you know the song, but I'll be typing the lyrics out all the same. Now, imagine the tune of the song played out with an organ.)

Funny how I feel, more myself with you

Than anybody else than I ever knew

I hear it in your voice see it in your face

You've become the memory I can't erase

You could have been anyone at all

An old friend calling out of the blue

I'm so glad it was you

Wasn't in the plan, not that I could see

Suddenly a miracle came to me

Safe within your arms, I can say what's true

Nothing in the world I would keep from you

You could have been anyone at all

A stranger falling out of the blue

I'm so glad it was you

Words can hurt you if you let them

People say them and forget them

Words can promise

Words can lie

But your words make me feel like 

I can fly

You could have been anyone at all

A stranger falling out of the blue

I'm so glad it was you

As the final notes of the song faded away, Sakura smiled at Shiro, who had a wistful look on his face. 

_The lyrics of the song……….describes how I feel for Ame-chan. And she sings most beautifully._

"Your playing was great!" Sakura enthused. 

"No, it's nothing compared to your voice." Shiro shook his head and murmured.

"Arigatou." She blushed at the compliment. Sakura had felt really touched by the song. She was really glad that out of any strangers who could have saved her, Shiro did. Shiro, the guy with his kind words, gentle eyes and strong arms, who has made her feel so welcomed and at ease, like they are already old friends. 

They gazed into each other's eyes in comfortable silence. 

-----------TBC-------------

A/N: If I pair Sakura up with my own character, Shiro, you girls/guys will probably kill me right? And no, you can't have Yue if Sakura ends up with Shiro. Heh heh heh. So what do you think? Should I have Sakura and Shiro share a passionate kiss in the next chapter? 

I love the song "Anyone at All", I hope you have heard it before…..it's a simple but touching song. 

Sakura is going to be found by her family and friends in the next chapter, but will her memory returns? And is Kuro's physical form finally going to appear? Review, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Arigatou!


	18. Chapter 18:The Old and New

**A/N: Thanks to silent H, ****General Mevneriel, sccrgrl4, Kella, InuKasumiCaptor, Dragonia-Darkwood, coffeeluver4eva, hopeless-amore, Mistress Sakura. **Sorry I took so long to update, I promise to come up with something longer, more exciting, heart-wrenching and surprising in the next chapter, which I plan to have it out by next week. I had a major chunk of wooden block in my creative brain-compartment and busy with work as I just switched jobs. Thank you all for being so supportive, patient, kind and encouraging, and I hope you will continue reading and reviewing my stories. You all are so wonderful, I vow to complete the upcoming chapters and wind up the story with a great ending! There will probably be another ten more chapters and the story will end. I have some other fics I have to wrap up as well, then I'm looking forward to starting new plots! 

By the way, someone asked about my age. Sore wa himitsu desu. Sumimasen! (That's a secret, sorry!) Don't worry, I'm of legal age to write, read and do adult stuff, heh heh heh.  

****

**Chapter 18: The Old and New**

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As they gazed into each other's eyes, their lips drew closer and closer…..then Sakura bowed her head and groaned in pain.

"Ame-chan, daijoubu?" Shiro looked at her worriedly.

Sakura's mind was thrown into turmoil as her memories slowly came back. She saw the scenes of her friends, family and two very important people. It was all jumbled up and made no sense to her now. A beautiful man with long silver hair and large wings. But humans don't have wings! Who is that man? Sakura don't remember Yue but deep inside something is telling her she must remember. And along with the image of Yue was Yukito, who was also stirring strange feelings in Sakura's confused mind. 

"I had flashes of memories." She finally answered after a lengthy pause. 

"What did you see?" 

Sakura shook her head. "It's just a whole lot of faces, people whose names I can't remember."

"Take your time, this kind of thing can't be hurried." Shiro advised kindly. Sakura smiled in response. 

"It's been a week since the missing-person ads were printed, why has there been no news!?" Kero-chan cried in frustration, while grim faces were the only reply he got. Finally Eriol spoke.

"Don't worry, Sakura should be fine. The fact that Kero-chan and Yue is alright shows that she's alive and well. It's just a matter of time before she comes home to us."

Kero-chan nodded reluctantly, while Yukito stared into space with a dazed look in his eyes. He has been this way since Sakura was missing and no news of her at all is starting to make him lose hope. It was like his life force was slowly draining away as each day goes by. Everyone was disheartened by the sudden disappearance of Sakura, but it seems that Yukito and Yue were the worst. Yukito has lost weight, since he hardly eats anything now. Only Touya could coax him into taking some food now and then. At first, Yukito was the one to buoy up everybody's spirits, including Yue's. But now, he could no longer make up any more reasons why Sakura is not found by anybody. And he blamed himself badly for hurting her, for not holding on to her and not let her disappear. It is now that both Yue and Yukito realize how much Sakura means to their lives, and how empty it can be without her sunny smiles, cheerful face and kind soul. To truly understand the meaning of being created for someone, that life is worth living only because of her, Sakura. In Yue's and Yukito's minds, they wept, tears falling into the ocean of their heart. Each drop of tear was like acid that burns away a small part of their aching heart. 

"Sorry, Ame-chan. I finally got the television fixed ever since it broke down a week ago." Shiro apologized.

"It's okay, I occupied myself with your books. You do have many interesting books on a wide variety of subjects." Sakura commented as she smiled at Shiro. 

"I'm glad you wasn't bored. Things have been very hectic at work recently, so much so that I hadn't had time to do anything of leisure like read the newspaper or something." Shiro explained as he set the newspaper he just bought onto the coffee stand. 

"Let's see what's on the news." Sakura flipped through the newspaper slowly. 

"So how's your legs?" 

"Oh, they are getting much better. I can move them now, though I still need the aid of the clutches to walk. And I'm starting to remember more, though I still don't recall any names or specific details." But surprisingly, Sakura couldn't remember anything about the Clow cards. Suddenly, she stopped and her eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Ame-chan?" Shiro moved closer to peer at what caught her attention.

"Hey! That's your photograph! It's a missing person's ad!" He exclaimed in surprise. 

"Yes, this is the Kinomoto's residence. What? Sakura is with you? Wait, let me get your address, we'll be right there to fetch her. Ok, I got it, thanks so much." Touya hung up the phone and went to get the others to let them know the good news. There were shouts of joy as the group rushed to get out of the house, and to where Sakura is. 

The doorbell at Shiro's apartment rang impatiently. "That must be your family, Ame-chan, oh no, I should call you Sakura-chan now." Shiro smiled at a worried-looking Sakura. She was glad that her family had found her, but she still haven't regained her memories, so things are a little strange for her now. 

Touya, Fujitaka, Yukito, Tomoyo, Eriol and Syaoran piled into the house as soon as the door opened. Kero-chan was hidden in Tomoyo's handbag, as he didn't want to wait at home.

"Sakura!" They chorused as she sat on the sofa and fidgeted awkwardly. Their faces look familiar, but she doesn't know who's who. 

"Oh Sakura, your legs are injured! What happened? Are you alright? Any pain? Why didn't you contact us?" A hundred questions were launched at her. She winced at the amount of noise they were causing.

"Please give her a moment of silence to explain things." Shiro broke through the chaotic overlapping conversations with a firm voice. 

"Ah, I don't know what happened, because I lost my memory. Shiro found me lying unconscious and injured on the streets and brought me home to take care of me. I didn't even know my name until just now when I saw my picture in the newspaper." Sakura blinked as her family and friends were silently digesting what she has said. Shiro briefly told them what happened since he found Sakura.

Sakura's family and friends introduced themselves to her. When they were done, Sakura asked hesitantly. "I know this sounds crazy, but is there someone I know who has long silver hair………..and white wings?  I keep having images of this person, along with Yukito-san." She looked at Yukito-san curiously. Yuki beamed at her but kept quiet, as Shiro was present. Fujitaka suggested they all go home first, and thanked Shiro again profusely. "It's my pleasure to know Sakura-chan, even though it was under such circumstances." He smiled at Sakura with a tinge of sadness in his eyes. He was going to miss her. "I hope you recover soon, and …." _And please don't forget about me._ Shiro thought to himself as she waved and they left his home. 

As the group finally reached the Kinomoto's residence and settled in, Sakura asked something that has been on her mind since she saw Eriol. "Eriol-san, are you…….are you my boyfriend?" Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her in shock. Even the usually composed Eriol had his mouth hanging opened. "Ah, well, I had this memory flashback, of……..of Eriol-san and me…….kissing." Sakura blushed and looked down at the carpeting in the living room. All eyes were on Eriol, awaiting his explanation. The air was getting thick with tension, but Sakura was oblivious to it all, as she hasn't remembered her relationship with Yukito and Yue. For the first time in his life, Eriol found himself at a loss for words. _This is bad, really bad. _Eriol thought as the silence prolonged. Tomoyo, Syaoran and Fujitaka were surprised, Touya was furious that Eriol had kissed Sakura, and Yukito and Yue was…….well, to say they were shock was a gross understatement.

_I can't believe it._ (Yukito thought)

_I can't believe Sakura kissed my master, no, I should say my previous master. _(Yue thought)

_It must have been a misunderstanding._ (Yukito thought)

_If it is, why hasn't HE said anything yet?_ (Yue thought)

_If it's true, does it matter? Will it change our feelings for Sakura-chan? _(Yukito thought)

…………….

_I will always love her, no matter what happens. She is the most important person in my life. I have to protect her. I have to……be with her. _(Yue thought)

_Yes, we will always love Sakura-chan, and I only pray that she will love us forever as well. _(Yukito thought)

_….._

Touya was advancing upon Eriol with murder and flames of hellfire burning in his eyes, when Kero-chan flew towards Sakura-chan with tons of questions and caused her to scream in fright. "WHAT IS THAT THING?! Why is it flying and how can it talk?" Sakura grabbed Kero-chan and started searching for a switch or a hidden compartment for batteries somewhere. "Ouch! That hurts! Sakura, it's me!" Kero-chan struggled away and Sakura fainted. 


	19. Chapter 19:Captured

**A/N: Thanks to** my kind and faithful readers who still bear with my inconsistent updates and shorter chapters! I seemed to have lost a bulk of my reviewers, and I'm so sad!!! My inspiration was pretty much a gone case but after re-reading the CCS manga and some other good stories I seemed to have recovered slightly. And your continued support and reviews have also fueled my mind, and motivated me to go on even though I really wanted to discontinue this fic. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Please continue to read and review this story, and I'll do my very best to bring you more wonderful and hopefully quicker updates! 

Sakura's going to get some bad things happening to her (doesn't she gets that in almost every chappie?) and things are getting heated up. The next chapter, which I have already drafted out, involves angst, magic battling scenes and more excitement. Your reviews will go a long way in helping my hand move faster in getting the next chapter up, so please please please remember to review! Right, hope you had fun reading this chapter!

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**Chapter 19: Captured**

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As Sakura fainted and fell towards the carpeted floor, Eriol, who was standing just beside her, caught her in mid-air, arms circling around her petite waist protectively. Clenching his fists, Yue and Yuki felt a stab of jealousy coursing through their veins. Eriol was oblivious to the rare look of anger on the normally peaceful and gentle looking Yuki, as he was so absorbed in making sure Sakura's fine. "Sakura!" Eriol shook her lightly, but she remained unconscious. The explanation that everyone was expecting of Eriol (about the kiss) was forgotten as they were overridden by their deep concern for Sakura. 

Finally, after what seemed like eternity to the friends and family of Sakura, she roused and woke up. Seeing Kero-chan had triggered her memory, and now she had recovered all of them. Aghast at how Yue and Yuki have found out about her kiss with Eriol, she buried her face in her hands and started to cry. A steady stream of tears flowed from her eyes to her hands and splattered onto the floor, the drip-drop sound of tears slicing through the shocked silence. "Sakura! Are you all right? Are you in pain?" Kero-chan hovered restlessly, as Sakura just continued sobbing. 

"I…..I'm so sorry….." She whispered brokenly, and sank to the floor, huddling into a tight ball. Yuki rushed forward and embraced her briefly, then tried to look into her tear-filled eyes. "Sakura-chan, why are you crying? Please tell me where you are hurt, if you are hurt. I'm so worried about you!" 

The gentleness and concern of Yuki only made her feel worse. "Why Yuki? Why are you still so nice to me?" With a hard shove, she pushed Yuki away and ran upstairs to her bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind her desperately. She just couldn't face Yuki and Yue and their kindness, after her unfaithfulness is finally in the light. Even if it was just a kiss, to Sakura, it was as good as committing adultery. No matter how hard she had tried in the past to push this unfaithful act into the back of her mind, it now came pouring back with a vengeance, torturing and filling her with guilt. Kneeling on cold hard floor, she shut her eyes, hoping to escape reality. "I don't deserve you, Yuki, Yue. I don't. I know the truth must have hurt you, and yet you still treat me so gently, so kindly. I really, truly don't deserve you." Like a chant that wouldn't go away, these words repeated itself in Sakura's turmoil-filled mind, causing her to sink even deeper into misery. 

"Sakura-chan! Open the door!" Yuki and the rest were banging on the door, shouting for her. 

So absorbed in her guilt and misery, Sakura failed to notice anything around her, including the increasingly loud banging on her door. And a soft glowing red light that was growing in the middle of her bedroom. A magical presence that escaped Sakura's notice, but not Yue's, Kero's, Eriol's and Touya's notice. "What is that?" Touya inquired with a frown. "It's coming from Sakura's bedroom!" Yuki transformed into Yue, who used his magic to throw the door open. They were too late. The red light enveloped Sakura and she disappeared right before their eyes. "SAKURA!!!"

In her moment of weakness, someone evil slid in and captured Sakura. Once again, her friends, family, and love have lost her. 

In the dark depths of her mind, Sakura knew that something was horribly wrong. Finally taking stock of her surroundings, she found herself in a foreign place. Her forest-green eyes blinked uncertainly, in disbelief, as she was in a room made of clear glass and pure white crystals. "What? Where am I?" 

"My love, welcome back home. Don't you remember your own bedroom?" Sakura jumped in fright when a seductive and masculine voice rang out from behind her. Turning around quickly, horror dawned as she recognized the owner of the voice. 

He was the man in her dreams. In person, he was even better looking, his handsomeness rivaling that of Yue's ethereal beauty. His silky red hair was loose this time, and swayed to the breeze that seemed to be perpetually moving in the enclosed room. Smoldering liquid gold eyes gazed into Sakura's frightened ones. A sinister smile flickered across his smooth face, and he run a finger across Sakura's pale cheek. "What's wrong? Don't you feel happy to be home, to be with me at last?" He teased cruelly, having a sick sense of satisfaction in her being scared. 

Gathering her wits and courage, Sakura protested, "It's NOT my home. Why have you taken me here?" A look of rebellion replaced the fear in her face, and Kuro's smile twisted. The finger that was resting gently on Sakura's face just a moment ago clawed into her soft skin mercilessly, inflicting pain and drawing blood. With relish, Kuro licked Sakura's blood of his finger, as she winced. Sakura had no idea that what's to come was worse, much worse than her innocent mind can imagine. 

"You are mine now. And it WILL be your home." Twisting Sakura's arm and dragging her to the large fluffy mattress bed in one corner of the room, Kuro's laugh sent chills down her spine, as fresh tears trickled down. Refusing to submit to her fear and Kuro's violence, Sakura started the familiar chant. 

"Key that hides the power of the stars, reveal thy true form to me! This, by the covenant, Sakura commands! Release!" 

"Silly Sakura-dear, don't you know you need a key before you can use your magic?" 

To her dismay, Sakura found her magic key missing, not in its usual place around her neck. "Where's my key?" 

Kuro dangled it in between his fingers idly, but careful to keep it out of her reach. "You mean this toy? How pathetic to rely on such a weak magical artifact. Before, you Suisen, didn't even need anything to use magic! I'm disappointed in you, and I believe you need to be punished!" With a flick of his hand, the key disappeared. He increased the pressure on twisting Sakura's arm, causing her to cry out in pain involuntarily. Her cries only serve to fuel Kuro's excitement and intent to mete out worse pain on her. Taking a chunk of Sakura's honey brown hair, he forced her face closer. Her struggles were futile, and Kuro swiftly closed the gap between them. He ravaged her lips with a bruising kiss. Sakura felt revolted and gasped out, giving Kuro the opportunity to slide his tongue greedily into her mouth, violating her wet depths with gee. 

"Bitch!" Kuro drew back in surprise as blood formed at the corner of his mouth. Sakura has bitten his tongue. He backhanded her and she flew across the room, bouncing on the rough walls before falling onto the ground. Pacing quickly to Sakura, Kuro muttered something and Sakura started rising into the air, held up by invisible ropes, but nevertheless, ropes that were tightening their hold on her battered body. Still recovering from lightning that caused her legs to be broken, new wounds were added to her frail form today. And more was to come. 

…….**TBC**……


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